Excitement is building in the City of Côte Saint-Luc for the prestigious sixth annual La Relance 2011 competition on Saturday, September 24 (1 p.m. to 11 p.m). Mayor Anthony Housefather and members of city council are thrilled that Danse Sport Québec chose the Côte Saint-Luc Gymnasium to hold this large scale event.
Here is an example of the kind of excitement you can expect:
More than 500 people are expected to be in attendance to watch latin (cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive) and standard (waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz and the quick step) ballroom dance routines, featuring competitors from Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and even Vermont. There will also be championship rounds in the youth, adult and senior categories, with competitors ranging from the age of 11 to 60 plus. Jean-Francois Rousseau, the president of Danse Sport Québec, will be on the dance floor as well with his wife and dance partner Nathalie Ladouceur (pictured below). The couple practice and train with many of the stars who have performed on the recent edition of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. They are the 10 Dances Quebec Senior 1 champions.
Danny Arbour (pictured at the bottom), who was a top 10 finalist in the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada and season two top two finalist Vincent Desjardins, will be in attendance as will other past competitors from the hit CTV show and perhaps even some surprise guests.
“The Quebec Danse Sport Federation is an organization which brings together amateur dancers in this province,” Rousseau explains. “Our goal is to promote dance. All of the people who work with us do so on a volunteer basis.
“Our competitions,” he continued, “can be compared to figure skating as all of the couples in each category perform together at the same time on the dance floor. Judges must deliberate at the same time. Our music is not decided in advance. We only know the type of dance that will be required. We are very excited to be be holding this competition in Côte St-Luc puisque as the people there have been very nice and accomodating and the facility is nice."
Francois Pruneau (right), who made this season's SYTYCDC Top 10, has been part of this competition tin the past.
Tickets cost $35 for adults and $15 for children. Côte St-Luc residents who show their Fun Cards will benefit from a reduced rate of $15 for adults and $5 for teenagers and children 16 years and younger . For more information go to www.dansesportquebec.com or call 514-418-TANGo (8264).
