Dance, Dance, Dance
By Suzy Paluzzi
The dancers performing in the Showtime Theater at California’s Great America Theme Park had the audience tapping their feet with dances running the gamut from the Charleston to Hip-Hop.
2008 marks the 21st annual four-day event, Dance Days Festival. Taking place on two consecutive weekends, April 19 and 20 and April 26 and 27, Dance Days allows dancers from studios and schools, in addition to parks and recreation programs, to participate in a non-competitive professional setting.
According to Stephanie Saenz, Coordinator of the event, “the dancers are between the ages of two and 18-years-old and are from a radius of 200 miles. There are different skill levels. “Great America is a fun place and we provide a user-friendly venue to showcase different performing groups, complete with technicians, announcers and a photographer backstage.” Those in the program receive commemorative ribbons and a day at Great America for the performance fee, as well as the exposure.
Debbie Cabral Halliday, owner of DC Dance Center, San Leandro, has “been doing this since they started,” she says. “ I believe this is a wonderful opportunity for my students to work on a huge, beautiful professional stage. Their staff is … always helping. We feel we are giving the gift of dance to the audience and having a ball doing that. And when they are done dancing, they can ride the rides and have fun. This is a win-win situation,” Halliday adds.
Saenz, whose job involves Special Interest Groups’ activities at Great America, emphasizes the safety of the program, stating that most props and no stunts are allowed.
Halliday believes the involvement with dance and Dance Days is “healthy for the kids.” Her own daughter was on stage. When asked how the event has changed over the years, Halliday notices, “There is more hip-hop now.”
Great America’s Dance Days program provides encouragement to the dancers and families alike. And the entertainment value is there for everyone in the audience.
Currently Great America is only open on weekends, but from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, the park will be open all week.
Suzy Paluzzi is a freelance writer. Her contact information is jomarch06@yahoo.com
