Chrystal Awards honour Victoria artists

On February 5th, dance presenters from across Canada and regional community leaders attended a dinner to honour recipients of the first annual Chrystal Awards. Victoria-based organizations and artists were recognized for their dedication and contributions to the dance community. Dance Victoria Producer Stephen White presented Victoria native Treena Stubel of Bounce dance cabaret with the award for Best New Dance Initiative. Outstanding Leadership in Independent Dance was awarded to Suddenly Dance Theatre founders David Ferguson, Lori Hamar and Miles Lowry, while Lynda Raino received a Lifetime Achievement title. All recipients’ names and award titles were inscribed on a crystal trophy piece; titles will change yearly to respond to what’s current in the community. Young dancers and mid-career dance artists interested in performing internationally can look forward to the Chrystal Dance Scholarship award, which will launch for the 2010/11 season and will be presented each year. The ceremony concluded Dance Victoria’s “Dance Days”, a week of studio showings, workshops and shows that attracted upwards of 10,000 people.