第八届年度东区舞蹈节将聚集来自卡尔加里教育委员会和卡尔加里天主教学区的11所学校的300多名学生。此活动旨在促进可能处于风险中的青少年之间的积极关系和社区，为卡尔加里市的贫困学生提供舞蹈机会。

“东区舞蹈节给了我和舞蹈队一个在专业舞台上表演的机会 - 这是我们在舞蹈队之外可能得不到的机会。我们还能够与其他学校和舞者建立联系，观看他们投入了大量努力的表演，”卡尔加里教育委员会学生普丽安卡说。

在为期两天的工作坊系列中，学生从Decidedly Jazz Danceworks的各种专业人士那里上课，体验成为年轻职业舞者的感觉。通过工作坊系列，学生建立了联系和友谊，同时还与Decidedly Jazz Danceworks、illFx Entertainment、Free House Dance Plus、 Trip The Light和RSVP33等专业艺术家和公司建立了联系。这些本地公司为学生提供课程指导，同时还为一些有潜力的舞者提供奖学金和助学金，使学生能够在学校以外继续追求舞蹈。今年还将提供围绕Pow Wow舞蹈风格的工作坊。

“参加东区舞蹈节真的有助于与那么多同样热爱舞蹈并分享相同激情的人建立关系。我学到了很多关于舞蹈和表演的知识，这是我在校外无法得到的，”舞蹈学生塔夫尼特说。

从他们踏入剧院开始，并通过舞台、布局、技术和服装排练，一直到最后的表演，学生完全沉浸在精细和表演艺术的文化中。这是许多学生可能无法有机会体验的机会。

“当我加入舞蹈队时，我提高了自己的舞蹈技巧，建立了持续的联系。更棒的是，所有这些美妙的机会对我们来说都是免费的，或者价格低廉，让每个参与者都能负担得起。东区舞蹈节给我的生活带来了期待，如果没有我的团队和这个表演机会，我将不知所措，”香妮特说。

舞蹈节将于4月30日（星期二）在卡尔加里大学的创意与表演艺术学院上演。一位受人尊敬的评委团将对学生的作品提供反馈，最有潜力的舞者将获得认可。门票可在http://arts-tickets.ucalgary.ca/events网上购买，也可在活动当天在门口购买。

​The 8th Annual Eastside Dance Festival will bring together more than 300 students from 11 schools from the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District. The event was created to foster positive relationships and community among potentially at-risk youth and to provide dance opportunities for underprivileged students in the city of Calgary.

“Eastside Dance Festival has given me and the Dance Team the opportunity to be able to perform on professional stages – an opportunity that we might not have received outside of Dance Team. We are also able to connect with other schools and dancers and get to see the performances that they have put a lot of hard work into,” says CBE student Prianka.

During a two-day workshop series, students take classes from a variety of professionals at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks and experience what is its like to be a young professional dancer. Through the workshop series, students build connections and friendships while also making connections with working professional artists and companies including: Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, illFx Entertainment, Free House Dance Plus, Trip The Light and RSVP33. These local companies provide class instruction to students, as well as bursaries and scholarships to some of the most promising dancers, allowing students to continue pursing dance outside of school. This year, a workshop based around Pow Wow dance styles will be offered.

“Being a part of Eastside Dance Festival really helps build relationships with so many people that also love to dance and share the same passion. I have learned and continue to learn so much about dance and performance that I would not have had access to outside of school,” say dance student Tavneet.

From the moment they step into the theatre and working through staging, blocking, technical and dress rehearsals all the way to final performances, students are immersed in the culture of fine and performing arts. This is an opportunity that many students may not be able to experience otherwise.

“When I joined Dance Team I improved my dance skills and made connections that would last forever. What makes it even better is that all of these amazing opportunities are free for us or come at a low cost that makes it affordable for everyone involved. Eastside Dance Festival gives me something to look forward to in my life, I wouldn’t know what I would do without my team and this opportunity to perform,” says Chantelle.

The festival will conclude with performances at the University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts on Tuesday, April 30. An esteemed panel of adjudicators will provide feedback on the student work and the most promising dancers will be recognized for their achievements. Tickets are available online at http://arts-tickets.ucalgary.ca/events or at the door the day of event.