Dance recital entertains fans

The Sisters Dance Academy brought classic stories to life on stage for the semi-annual recital, with dancers aged 3 to 18 performing ballet, tap, hip-hop and contemporary dance to a full house on Saturday evening in the Sisters High School auditorium.

"This year our story teller is Felicia Zandonatti. She is one of my cherished past dancers and has been attending Brigham Young University. She still loves to dance and wishes she was performing, but told me narrating would suffice," announced Lonnie Liddell, owner and dance instructor at Sisters Dance Academy.

"Dancing Thru the Pages" was the theme for this year's recital and each performance represented a classic story. Zandonatti as story teller began the first performance, "Welcome to Wonderland," with the classic opening line: "Once upon a time." Zandonatti read a few lines from each story before every performance.

"The dancers have rehearsed since the beginning of January. Learning the choreography takes time and they are learning at a progression," said Liddell. "We couldn't have done the recital without Ann Alisa Duerden, Angelique Haney, and Haley Ellis. My light and sound man, Ross Grant, is also a crucial part of the whole show; he put in a lot of hours in preparing the lighting and sound. This year we have four graduating seniors in the show: Sonja Lund, Sara Reitmann, Joel Fisher and Tiffany Cormalis, performing ballet, hip hop, and contemporary dance."

The variety of costumes made by Angelique Haney dazzled the audience in every performance. She personally made 78 costumes and spent countless hours with each little detail.

"Angelique is also our backstage manager and brains behind many key organizational elements that happen during our show; she has a big heart," said Liddell.

The audience giggled to the instrumental composition by Henry Mancini, "The Pink Panther Theme" that played in the semi-darkness to a slew of little Nancy Drew detectives aged 7 to 9 as they danced contemporary ballet, donning trench coats and wielding flashlights, ready to find their thief.

The solo performance of "Cinderella" by graduating senior Tiffany Cormalis in contemporary ballet style quieted the house down as they watched in awe.

There probably isn't a dance ensemble that hasn't brought to life the Irving Berlin song "Puttin' On the Ritz," and an outstanding performance it was when 13 dancers of all ages tapped their way across the stage to that classic tune and brought down the house.

The audience was charmed by nine little "Fancy Nancy" tots wearing their glamorous purple gowns and tiara's following Liddell's bigger-than-life cues as they performed in ballet style.

Another highlight of the show was when 10 dancers performed in contemporary ballet style to the Shakespearean classic "Romeo and Juliet" in their white skirts to the tune of "Love Story" by Taylor Swift.

Over two hours of performances came to a happy ending with a contemporary dance performance to the song "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. As the lyrics suggested, "Clap along if you think that happiness is the truth." Everyone followed suit, and all dancers from the show danced and clapped their way back on stage for a "happily ever after" finale.

Summer classes start the first week of July. For information visit www.sistersdanceacademy.com.