Fort McMurray Social Dance Club

The Fort McMurray Social Dance Club hosts monthly events for adults to practice and learn ballroom, Latin and other dancing styles. The club plays a variety of modern and classic music to tend to everyone’s preference. Learn to Cha Cha, Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz, Swing, Rhumba, Tango and so much more in a social setting. Whether you’re preparing for your wedding or a special event, or just wanting to perfect your smooth dance moves, this club is for dancers of all levels. No partner or experience is required for any of the events; just a willingness to dance!

The next monthly event will be held on Friday, October 28, 2016 at the Stonebridge Hotel – Athabasca Room from 8 pm to midnight. An introductory lesson on Cha Cha will take place from 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm, followed by an open dance floor where a variety of music will be played. 

Aren't sure what kind of music you can dance the Cha Cha to? Here are some suggestions:

• Disturbia by Rihanna
• Tik Tok by Ke$ha
• Cake by the Ocean by DNCE 
• Treasure by Bruno Mars

For more information, please visit the group’s Facebook Page: Fort McMurray Social Dance Club 

Join Alberta Culture Days and help create the largest celebration of arts and culture in the country!

Alberta Culture Days is looking for dedicated community members, sponsors, volunteers, venues, artists, actors, musicians, filmmakers, bands and community groups to create fun and engaging public events such as plays, art exhibitions, music performances, film screenings, dance shows, open mics, culinary events, cultural displays, workshops, and competitions. The sky is the limit! The events will take place from September 30-October 2 in celebration of arts, culture, and the heritage of our region, province and country!

Alberta Culture Days began in 2008 as Alberta Arts Days, a one day event to recognize the value of Alberta’s arts and cultural communities. Since then, it has expanded into a vibrant, three day event celebrated province wide which helped inspire the creation of Culture Days – a pan Canadian movement to raise awareness and participation in the arts and cultural life of our communities.

If you would like to get involved in this unique festival and make Wood Buffalo the largest celebration site in the country please join our first planning meeting this Tuesday, March 22, 7:00pm-8:00pm at the Future Forward Building, 9717 Franklin Avenue. For more information please contact Michael Beamish, michael.beamish@rmwb.ca, 780-788-1498.

Apply NOW for the Multicultural Expo!

The Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo is looking for local cultural groups to get involved in their annual Multicultural EXPO in February 2016. This is your chance to show the community glimpses of the beauty and magic of your culture and a chance to showcase all that is unique and special about your home country.

About the Multicultural Expo: The Multicultural EXPO-2016 hopes to bring together all diverse cultural groups in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Last year they had over 26 cultures represented and around 2600 attendees at the event. The EXPO features traditions, customs, artifacts, dress, food, and dances from all over the world. The event not only brings the Wood Buffalo community together but aims to break down barriers between cultural groups and enhance cross-cultural awareness, understanding, and appreciation.

What you can do at the Multicultural EXPO:

• Sell cultural dishes for all to enjoy (Apply for Temporary Food Vendor Permit)
• Sell handicrafts inspired by your culture (Apply for Daily Licence)
• Educate the public about different aspects of your culture (ie. traditions, festivals, beliefs, customs, dress, artifacts, dances, etc.)
• Reach out to newcomers
• Spread the word about your cultural group or organization

An ambassador for each cultural group will serve as the sole representative for their cultural group liaising between their group and the Multicultural Association.

Ambassador Responsibilities:

• Serve as the liaison between the cultural group and the Multicultural Association
• Attend committee meetings prior to the EXPO (about 3 short meetings will be scheduled)
• Keep the Multicultural Association updated on the progress and any changes within the group
• Organize the booth for your cultural group to be displayed at the EXPO (find people to provide artifacts, traditional costumes, and info)
• Get commitment from the group for organizing a food stall or handicraft stall

Apply Now!

• To apply to be an Ambassador and book your booths or for more details please email the Multicultural Association at events@multiculturefm.org or call 780-791-5186.

IMPORTANT DATES AND NOTES:

• November 30, 2015 - Information Session at the MCA Board Room at 6:00pm
  
• December 11, 2015 - All Applications must be submitted before the end of the day
• Application for the Temporary Food Vendor Permit must be filled out and sent to events@multiculturefm.org before end of December 11, 2015
• Application for Daily Market License must be submitted to:

Mailing Address: 9909 Franklin Avenue, Fort McMurray AB T9H 2K4

Business Licensing Office Location: 309 Powder Drive, Fort McMurray AB

     T 780-799-8695 F 780-743-7874

• A copy of the Daily Market License Application must be sent to events@multiculturefm.org before end of December 11, 2015 

The Multicultural Association is looking forward to working with you to make this year’s Multicultural EXPO a huge success!

Come Celebrate Diwali

Hindu Cultural Society of Fort McMurray is pleased to announce its biggest event of the year Diwali Party this Saturday at the Quality Inn Hotel. Deepavali or Diwali is one of the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. It's the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights) that's marked by four days of celebration, which literally illumines the country with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. Each of the four days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment and goodness.

Tickets are now open to non-members, there are only a few left so grab yours now by contacting Prasad Gudivada, (780)792-6048, email: gvtprasad@gmail.com.

Carry some loose change with you and walk out with a big prize by participating in our raffle draw. Lucky draws, gifts, exotic Indian cuisine & live Bollywood music by Shweta Subramanium are the highlights of the event.

Ticket Details:

Adult Member 12 yrs & above -- $40

Child Member 5-11 yrs -- $20. However if kids under 5yrs need a seat than ticket needs to be purchased.

Adult Non- Member 12 yrs & above -- $50

Child Non-Member 5-11 yrs -- $25. However if kids under 5yrs need a seat than ticket needs to be purchased.

Program Details:

 5.30 to 8.00 pm -- Snacks, Opening Announcements, Kids Performance, Felicitation of Sponsors & Chief Guests

 8.00 to 9.00 pm -- Dinner

 9.00 to 12.00 pm -- Live Performance by Shweta Subramanium & band & dance floor

The World Meets in Wood Buffalo

From September 23-27 the Regional Municipality will be celebrating Alberta Culture Days. Alberta Culture Days started in 2008 as Alberta Arts Day – one day to recognize the value of the province’s arts and cultural communities, with 100 events held in 30 communities. Since then, it has expanded into an annual three-day celebration that helped inspire the creation of Culture Days — a pan-Canadian movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. In 2014, there were more than 1,200 events in 98 Alberta communities.

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has taken part since 2009 and the event has become so popular that three days are not enough to showcase the community’s vibrant arts, rich heritage and cultural diversity. We are devoting five days to promoting and appreciating the artists, creative professionals, volunteers and non-profit groups that help make the region a great place to live, work and PLAY! From September 23-27, there are all kinds of activities and performances for residents of all ages. All of the events are planned and presented by our very own community members and are FREE to attend.

 

The World Meets in Wood Buffalo, created and organized by the Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo, has been a highlight of the Alberta Culture Days Festival for the past two years.  The event brings together cultures from around the world onto one stage to preform cultural and folk dances plus music from their home countries. This year the show will feature over 15 different cultural dances. Admission is free plus there will be multicultural snacks for purchase. The event will be taking place September 26, 6pm-9pm and September 27, 2pm-5pm at Shell Place, SP Grand Ballroom CD.  The World Meets in Wood Buffalo is proudly sponsored by Nexen, The United Way, the Government of Canada, and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.  

The Multicultural Association’s mandate is to support cultural groups and newcomers through services, programs, events and initiatives that foster cross-cultural awareness and understanding. By integrating newcomers and encouraging local residents to take pride in their heritage the Multicultural Association helps to build and celebrate the diverse culture of Wood Buffalo.  Their vision is to create unity in diversity with the goal that our diverse cultures are reflected in all aspect of our society from the economy to government.

“Building bridges across different cultures and developing friendships are the bedrock of building community; it also makes a community welcoming and inclusive and helps people stand up against racism and discrimination. Multiculturalism adds colour and vibrancy to the community, breaks myths and misconceptions about uncommon cultures and building a place all can call home,” says Executive Director Mary Thomas. 

If you would like to support the Multicultural Association they are seeking volunteers to help at their upcoming events, their language clubs taking place at local schools, and participants to take part in dialogues and discussions.  

For more information on The World Meets in Wood Buffalo and all the events happening at Alberta Culture Days please visit www.rmwb.ca/culturedays and download their online festival booklet. For further information or questions please contact Michael Beamish, michael.beamish@rmwb.ca, 780-788-1498.

Botswana Independence Celebration

Moments from Wonderland

MacDonald Island Dance Academy is pleased to announce Alberta Ballet II will visit Fort McMurray on April 19th. They will be presenting two performances of Moments from Wonderland, a ballet production adaptation based on the Lewis Carroll classic novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, at the Suncor Community Leisure Centre. 

The show is a perfect introduction to ballet and dance for young audiences. The dancers from Alberta Ballet II will perform a 45-minute show, followed by a 15 minute audience-interactive question and answer session.

Show times:

Matinee 1PM to 2PM

Evening 6:30PM to 7:30PM

Join us for this first time event that you and your family don't want to miss! Tickets on sale at ONErec.ca and Guest Services.

Multicultural EXPO-2015

Travel the world in a day! Grab your Multicultural passport and hit the road to explore over 24 different cultures.

Experience an amazing array of cuisine, dances, games, languages and art. Multicultural EXPO-2015 brings the world to you!

When: February 15^th, 2015.

Where: MacDonald Island ( Nexen Activity Field House & Nexen Field House)

Time:  12:00 to 5:00 pm

Admission : Adults: $5 or by donation / Children: (12 & under) FREE!

 For more information please visit us at http://www.multiculturefm.org/news-events/upcoming-events/multiculturalexpo2015 or contact us at 780-791-5186.  

Jazz Master Class at Keyano- Dec. 9 & 10

Congratulations to Local Dance Students!

Congratulations Alex Villemere, Shanda Chapdelaine, Shelby Oickle, Sophia Hassenstein, Alaina Noseworthy, Chase Evtushevski, and Maria Durnford!

On October 19th, auditions for the School of Alberta Ballet program were held at the Suncor Community Leisure Centre. Students from around the community came out to audition.These seven dancers were selected to attend the summer program to audition for the year round professional division.

The Alberta Ballet is one of Canada's premiere ballet companies. The successful applicants will go on to a one month summer dance intensive to audition for the full-time professional program. More information can be found here:

http://schoolofalbertaballet.com/professional-division/summer-school/senior-summer-school.html

Next Full Moon Cafe- Oct. 4, 2014

Saturday, October 4, 2014 is the next Full Moon Café! 

Join us at the Waterways Community Hall for a splendid evening of local talent. Come share your talent! Music, art, spoken word, dance welcome. 

$5 suggested donation per person, all ages welcome. 

7:30 for drumming circle (bring drums and rhythm instruments!).
8 p.m. for main stage. 
Call 780-791-5355 for more info.

Registration for Fort McMurray Avrora Dancers- Sept. 3 and 4

Come join the fun and vibrant Fort McMurray Avrora Ukrainian Dancers. Professional instructors are brought up from Edmonton. Dancers have the opportunity to go to exciting competitions and dance at various local events. Boys and girls, aged 4-14 are welcome. Dance classes are Tuesday evenings. For more info contact Brenda at 780-790-9701   fortmcmurrayavroradancers@outlook.com

Call for Volunteers for The World Meets in Wood Buffalo

The Multicultural Association is looking for volunteers for their performance of The World Meets in Wood Buffalo, a cultural dance showcase featuring a spectacular array of costumes and dance styles. A part of the Alberta Culture Day festivities, this dazzling show brings together eighteen different cultural performances on one stage encompassing dance, music, poetry and story-telling from around the world. Please join us and help make this spectacular celebration come to life.  

September 27th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm

September 28th, 2:00 to 4:00 pm

Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts at (Holy Trinity High School, 230 Powder Dr. Fort McMurray, AB, T9K 0W8)

If you are interested in volunteering or performing, please contact Krystell O’Hara by email at events@multiculturefm.org or give us a call to 780-791-5186

For more information about Alberta Culture Days in Wood Buffalo, Please visit www.woodbuffalo.ab.ca/culturedays

Keyano Conservatory Open House- Sept. 6, 2014

ILLUMINATE TALENT SEARCH THIS WEEKEND

Rules and Regulations

 All ages are invited to apply.  Applicants under the age of 18 must have the written permission of their parent or guardian. 

All contestants must be amateur performers residing in Wood Buffalo at the time of the competition. 

Contestants must arrive at the venue no later than 60 minutes before the official start of the Illuminate Talent Search.  This check-in period will give you an opportunity to touch base with the stage manager regarding your technical requirements.  During this time organizers will also determine performance order by random draw.   

Performances must be no longer than 4 minutes in length.  Contestants can choose to repeat their selection, or present something new should they advance to the final.  

This is not intended to be a competition for bands that require extensive set-up.  Participation will be up to the sole discretion of the organizers. 

Contestants must make themselves available for both rounds of the competition. As this is a family-friendly event, content must be appropriate to an all-ages audience.  Performances that include offensive language or content that is deemed inappropriate will be disqualified and asked to vacate the stage. 

At the conclusion of the performance, contestants will be asked to stay on stage to hear the comments of our judges. At the conclusion of the preliminary round, the judges will determine which performers will be invited to advance.  That announcement will happen 10 to 15 minutes after the conclusion of the final performance of the day. 

Location

 MacDonald Island Park - entertainment stage at Sustainival 

Schedule

 Preliminary Round: Saturday, August 30 

Check-in Time: 11:00 am  | Competition starts:  12:00 pm 

Final Round: Sunday, August 31 

Check-in Time:  11:00 am  | Competition starts:  12:00 pm 

Prizes 

1st Prize - $2,500

2nd Prize - $1,000

3rd Prize - $500

Big Spirit - $500 (for outstanding attitude)

Spotlight - $500 (for outstanding potential) 

For questions or more information email: IlluminateYMM@gmail.com

The Actor's Fund of Canada

The lifeline for Canada’s entertainment industry

The Actors’ Fund of Canada provides emergency financial aid to assist cultural workers in recovering from an illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship. The Fund is not just for actors: performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members in the fields of film & TV, theatre, music and dance can benefit from the Fund. The Actors’ Fund of Canada receives no government funding and is wholly sustained by support from individuals and entertainment industry organizations.

Through its Film and Television Relief Program (FTRP) the Fund will help hundreds of film and television industry workers in 2014. The Actors’ Fund of Canada was the recipient of the 2011 Gemini Special Award for exceptional service to the Canadian television industry.

Help us spread awareness of the Actors’ Fund of Canada by spreading the word on set, in the studio and on stage!

Learn more: http://www.actorsfund.ca/about-us/what-we-do
Apply to the Fund: http://www.actorsfund.ca/apply-for-assistance

For information:
David Hope, Executive Director
Phone: 1.877.399.8392
Website: www.actorsfund.ca
Email: contact@actorsfund.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/actorsfund
Twitter: @actorsfund

Illuminate Dance & Music Talent Search- Aug. 8 to 10, 2014

Announcing the ILLUMINATE DANCE & MUSIC Talent Search!

Audition are being held between August 8-10 with $5,000 in prizes available! 

Contest guidelines and registration form are available here:

https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=ag412uCAcTQ7H0IGz8a9hA

Puttin' on the Ritz Presented by the Fort McMurray Social Dance Club

Banff Centre Indigenous Dance Residency- Apply by May 10, 2014

Banff Centre Indigenous Dance Residency 


Program runs from July 28 to August 23, 2014 
Application Deadline is May 10, 2014

Acclaimed Indigenous choreographers and dance instructors come together with dancers from across Canada and around the world to share, investigate, and strengthen contemporary Indigenous dance practice. This four week intensive residency includes daily technique classes, improvisation classes, choreographic exploration, and the creation of a short new choreographic work that will be performed as part of the Banff Summer Arts Festival.   Dancers accepted to the program will receive 100 per cent scholarship to cover the program fee including tuition, shared room, and meal plan at The Banff Centre. 

Read more at http://www.affta.ab.ca/Arts-In-Alberta/Arts-Opportunities/Banff-Centre-Indigenous-Dance-Residency

Youth VIP Party- March 21, 2014 at Holy Trinity High School