Students “Hit the Stage” at First LBPSB Dance Off!
by Helena Tsitouras
The Lester B. Pearson School Board hosts numerous student events throughout the year, from athletic tournaments like track and field and cross-country runs to academic competitions such as the Math Olympics and Battle of the Books. This year, the Physical Education teachers wanted to incorporate the arts, a new and exciting event was introduced: the first ever LBPSB Hit the Stage Dance Off!
The inspiration for this event stemmed from a long-standing tradition of Elementary School “Power Hours” – hour-long dancing events that originated at Margaret Manson and spread to other schools within the LBPSB. Then in 2023, while several Physical Education teachers were attending the Physical and Health Education (PHE Canada) conference hosted in PEI, they were challenged to choreograph a dance for a conference event. This experience inspired the teachers to unite the LBPSB Elementary Schools and create the Hit the Stage Dance Off!
The Dance Off took place at Pierrefonds Community High School on April 23rd, featuring 200 students from 10 elementary schools eager to showcase their dance skills. The participating schools included Sherbrooke Academy Sr., PETES, Beacon Hill, Springdale, and Forest Hill Sr., as well as Kingsdale, Margaret Manson, Maple Grove, Edgewater, and Clearpoint. Of the 10 dances, the students were given five different choreographies to learn via video link in advance. Once on stage, one student from each school randomly selected a dance from a hat for their team to perform.
Each school performed twice, with their performances evaluated by LBPSB teachers Caroline Temelini and Amanda McCulloch, and Art Consultant Frank Caraccioli. After the points were tabulated, the two finalists were determined: Maple Grove Elementary and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School. The finalists selected their preferred dances from the original five and faced off in a highly anticipated showdown. Ultimately, Maple Grove Elementary emerged victorious and was crowned the 2024 Hit the Stage Dance Off Champion! The school received a trophy, which they will keep proudly until next year’s competition.
The event received glowing feedback from teachers and students alike. Physical Education Consultant Scott Taylor expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “The outcome was fantastic in my opinion. The event ran really well, and the kids were all engaged. The feedback from teachers whose schools participated was very positive, and they are looking forward to next year.”
Meaghan Macro from PETES echoed the sentiment: “The students at PETES were thrilled to participate in the inaugural LBPSB Dance Off. The atmosphere in the auditorium created a lively and enjoyable evening. The event was well-organized and ran smoothly without any issues. The flow of the evening was seamless, and the excitement on our students’ faces spoke volumes about their experience.”
The success of the inaugural Dance Off is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. A special thank you goes to the dedicated committee members who made the event possible — Teresa Borrelli, Meaghan Macro, Kim Poirier, Kristen Eccles, Kyla Laforest, Elisa Rou and Scott Taylor. We also extend our gratitude to Leslie Clement, Julia Sutherman, Rebecca Wilson, for lending a helping hand, as well as our judges Frank Caraccioli, Caroline Temelini, and Amanda McCulloch. Additionally, we appreciate the teachers who worked with their students on their incredible performances, as well as Principal Lucia Coretti and Teacher Lori Brown from PCHS for allowing the use of their space for the event.
The successful debut of the LBPSB Hit the Stage Dance Off has sparked excitement and anticipation for future events. Meaghan Macro added, “The excitement around the school the following day as students expressed, ‘I can’t wait for next year.’ It was evident that the event was a remarkable success.” The energy and enthusiasm surrounding the event promise a bright future for this annual tradition. Let’s look forward to next year’s competition!
