There is quite a show going on this week at the Central Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with young people from just four years old up to their late teens dancing up a storm.
For locals who have passed by the York Road church and event centre and seen the huge parking lot full on a weekday, those cars belong to families who have brought up to 500 dancers to NOTL to compete at an event organized by Star Beat Dance Champions, a family business in Hamilton that organizers competitions for dancers to display their talents and vie for trophies, medals and even cash awards.
They have also filled rooms at local hotels just down the road from the church and event centre.
Thomas Menechella, one of the Star Beat family owners, spoke to The Local over the loud noises of music and an enthusiastic crowd of spectators gathered at the York Road church, a four-day competition of what he describes as “family-oriented dance” that moves to Niagara Falls for its final day Sunday.
With more than 20 years of presenting competitions that involve dancers from studios not only from Ontario, but in this case includes Montreal, says Menechello, the location has turned out to be a good choice.
“They reached out to us,” he says of the church, “and we made it happen. It’s been a good experience, and for sure we’d come back.
