Video of Leela's Showcase Fundraiser - March 6, 2020

Dancing professionally is Leela’s dream!

When she was little, she would write Santa, The Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy requesting more dance classes.

In 2015, at eleven years old she went to her first professional ballet school audition. When they called her number, she was filled with excitement! She was determined to take on any jobs to help pay her own way to attend the ballet summer intensive. Sadly, she was not accepted into their full-time program. Consequently, she started practicing more, made more sacrifices to work countless hours, juggling more jobs with more ballet training.

Remembering that there are 3 P’s that allow Leela to be living her dream

1. Passion – love of dance. And belief in self

2. Perseverance – Passion drives perseverance to work hard and bust down barriers. Three years ago Leela did not know any French know she is pretty much bilingual in speaking reading and writing in French. Plus very focused on her ballet training. Plus Leela has own apartment on non school days…she needs to shop herself, cook herself and clean it herself.

3. People – like you who support her by coming to the fundraisers, as well as give her emotional support.

Leela has also learned to ask for help.

In 2016, Leela auditioned to two different professional ballet schools and was accepted into both. She chose to go to L'École supérieure de Ballet du Quebec (ESBQ) in Montreal, Quebec which is a French school. After the summer intensive, ESBQ accepted her into their full-time profession program. Although concerned about attending a French high school when she was an anglophone. It was the true immersion.

As with any residential program, it is expensive! Whenever, she returns home to Waterloo, Ontario, she works to help pay for her continued ballet training.

1. Can’t Stop the Feeling

Danced by Gwen and Alyson (Leela & Kia) Choreographed by Kia

Alyson just started dancing this year and Gwen was in Kia’s dance class at the community center last year.

Alyson and Gwen both wanted to share their love of dance by dancing for everyone this evening.

Nothing says welcome to a family as performing together….Welcome to our family Alyson. We love having you as part of our family. Gwen we love having you in our dance family too.

2. The Story

Sung by Sheniza Popet

She wanted to help because has been Kia’s friend all throughout high school and wants to see her succeed doing everything that she loves.

3, Hugging you

Duet by Rachel and Sarah Taylor

Rachel and Sarah preformed this dance last year for their dance competition. Rachel and Leela first met at the Royal Winnipeg summer intensive and have been friends ever since. When Leela asked Rachel to help she was eager to join Leela’s Showcase fundraiser.

4. Count on me

Song by Bruno Mars.

Tonight Amelia Chandara will play guitar and singing.

Amelia has been an exceptional friend to Leela since they met eight years ago. Amelia is always willing to help with Leela’s many events.

For example:

- Leela returns home and invites Amelia for a sleepover, then at the sleep over “we are having a baking party”. Try their sleep over cookies.

-Plus for 5 years, Amelia helped with of Spooky Tours Hunted House Cancer Fundraiser

- this is her fourth Showcase fundraiser Leela has performed in. Although Amelia has only been playing guitar for 6 months Leela told her it would be a great opportunity to practice. We are unsure if Amelia volunteered or is Leela Volunteering-told her to.

5. Mambo #5

This is a jazz solo danced by Bella.

She has been dancing for 10 out of 12 years of her life. She choose to do a jazz number since she feels more at ease than with the other styles.

Bella choose to do the showcase because she loves being able to help an aspiring ballerina like Leela.

6. Third River

Classical Ballet by Leela

The Pharaoh's Daughter, is a ballet choreographed by Marius Petipa to music by Cesare Pugni. An English lord and John Bull, his servant, and a guide shelter from a sandstorm in a pyramid during an African safari. They start to become noisy, but the guide asks them to quiet down in respect for the Pharaoh’s daughter who is lying in a coffin somewhere in the pyramid. She picked this variation because she loves the graceful music and interpreting the character.

7. Anne’s song

Performed by Rob, and Andrew

Rob’s mom passed away March 3rd last year.“The first time I played my guitar after her passing, this song just flowed out of my heart into my fingers. I could feel her there with me” Rob Gies, lead guitarist and vocals for The Riff’s Rob has performed for thirty years. Began when he was 14, played full time professionally, took a sabbatical and then returned to his passion Rob shared “ I help with the fundraiser because Leela is a wonderful, kind young lady with a beautiful dream of ballet dancing. I will do everything I can to help Leela and her wonderful mom achieve that dream”

Andrew started playing the viola at the age of 7. During high school he played in the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra. But when he started university he put his viola to bed for the next 35 years, except for the odd time, such as playing a couple duets with Leela at her first fundraising show five years ago. It has been just over a year since Andrew picked up his viola again, and has been enjoying it ever since. He’s shared that he’s choosing to help Leela because ever since he met her five years ago, he has believed in her and wanted to see her succeed.

8. Gamzatti

Danced by Leila HopkinsThis variation comes from La Bayadère La Bayadère is a story of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance, and justice. The ballet relates the drama of a temple dancer (bayadère), Nikiya, who is loved by Solor, a noble warrior. Leila has been dancing since the age of threeShe chose to perform this dance because she will be competing this solo this year.

9. Autumn leaves

Performed by Rob, Andrew, Yvonne and surprise guest Alison King

This song was chosen by Andrew to perform since it was listening to Autumn Leaves that inspired him to pick up his viola again.

Cambridge performer Yvonne Way, singer with The Riffs. She have been singing as long as she can remember, she has always been surrounded by music, Mom is & Grandmother was soloist at their respective church choirs, Dad always has a guitar in his hands, sometimes playing original compositions, sometimes playing along with the radio, but there was always music happening somewhere in the house. Yvonne started singing in school choirs in Grade 1 and when She finished high school decided to join Mom’s church choir. While singing in my church choir there she began to study classical music privately, and auditioned for and became a member of world-renowned Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. After several years, Yvonne was invited to be a soloist with The Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto which She enjoyed for several years. But what she really wanted was to sing in a band, which happened through one of her Amadeus friends.

Yvonne met Rob Gies about 10 years ago. Rob was playing in a blues band with her bass player husband Peter. When their singer left the band suddenly, She stepped in to cover for ‘a few gigs’ and stayed on with them ‘cutting my teeth’ as a lead singer. When the blues band folded, about 6 years ago, her husband approached Rob to start a new band “to keep his wife occupied” and thus The Riffs were born!

By participating in Leela’s showcase, Yvonne feels she can be part of the development of new artists and encourage other performers to get out and live their passion!

10. The Charleston

The Charleston will be performed by Elizabeth Nederend, Serena Hardman and Susana Miranda. They all take lessons at Ballroom Class in Guelph, from our instructor Michelle Ariss, and have been doing so for over two years. They chose to do the Charleston even though it is not taught at their studio because it’s a fun dance to do solo, and since it originated in the 1920’s it seems fitting to choose to perform it 100 years later in 2020 as a tribute to such an influential dance that spawned some of the other dances we enjoy today. They are choosing to help Leela’s fundraiser because, as dancers themselves, they understand and can relate to being very passionate about pursuing dance. It is always uplifting to see young people relentlessly pursue their dreams, and they are happy to lend their help to that cause.

11. Legends Never Die

Legends never die is a contemporary dance choreographed and danced by Kia. Kia is always Leela’s biggest supporter and cheerleader. She chose to dance because she loves to choreograph and because she knows how much her support means to Leela.

12. Napoli.

Classical ballet variation by Leela

On Friday, Feb 28th Leela preformed this variation for a competition at her ballet school and won an award for "Best interpretation".

It’s is a ballet created in 1842 for Denmark's Royal Ballet by Danish choreographer and ballet master August Bournonville. It tells the story of Teresina, a young Italian girl who falls in love with Gennaro, a fisherman, and culminates in the marriage of the lovers.

13. Argentine Tango

Gino's surprise birthday dance with Jayne, then Susana

Celebrating Gino 74 years young and and just three month post heart surgery.

Dance Party followed with Live music by The Riff's and guest musicians and DJ music by Gino