Y Arts’ Christmas Spectacular dances up a storm

Sun, 12/19/2021 - 11:45am

    A few hours before the snow fell on Saturday, Dec. 18, making it look a little more like Christmas, the Y Arts dancers put on a show, Christmas Spectacular, that entertained around 200 happy onlookers in the Boothbay Region YMCA gym.

    The approximately 35 children, from ages 3 to 14, danced to 13 songs. The different dance groups included Itty Bitty Tap, Beginner Tap, Advanced Tap, Intermediate Threatre Dance, Beginner Ballet, Advanced Theatre Dance, Curtain Up Acting, Advance Jazz and Combined Theatre Dance – and the full cast gathered for the final number, “When We’re Together.”

    Other familiar songs included “Up On The Housetop,” performed by the cute Itty Bitty Tap group to open the show; “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” preceeded the fast-paced “Polish Up the Sleigh (Greased Lightning),” by the Advanced Tap dancers. “Frosty the Snowman,” featuring Ford Harris as Frosty, was followed by a wonderful rendition of “Believe” by Spencer Pottle, Imij Armstead, Jojo Shea and Sarah Harris.

    Director Emily Mirabile led the Beginner Ballet out on to the performance area for the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” while the Advanced Theatre dancers waited to perform “Transylvania Mania.” Several pairs of performers from the Curtain Up Acting group then performed “The Polar Express (Reader’s Theatre).”

    The Advanced Theatre dancers brought out some laughter as Spencer Pottle used some good padding to appear as Santa Claus as they danced to “I Believe in Santa.”

    The show returned to cuteness at the Itty Bitty Ballet group performed to “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”

    The show finished up with “Thriller/Heads Will Roll” by the Advanced Jazz dancers, “Jingle Bell Rock” by the Combined Theatre Dance group and then the full cast performance.

    Mirabile thanked helpers Emerson Harris, Spencer Pottle and Sarah Harris and Ella Watts for their work putting the show together.

    Prior to the show, attendees were greeted at the door by Robbie and Sara Watts, who were dressed, respectively, as a snowman and Christmas tree.