Burlesque is coming to Castlegar with a fundraiser for women’s outreach and safe homes.
Performers will strut their stuff at Robson Community Hall during Glitter and Sweat on Saturday, all while raising funds for the Castlegar and District Community Services Society (CDCSS) women’s outreach and safe homes.
Richele McEwan, founder and creative director of Arrow Dance Studio, has been organizing the event and preparing her adult dance class to perform.
“My adult dancers, they’re performing, a lot of them, for the very first time,” she says.
The show will also include performances from Nelson burlesque dancers Scarlet Mary Rose and Erin Ear Your Heart Out, a performance by another student group, music by Stasia and spoken word by Becca from Rossland.
McEwan says she wanted to support the CDCSS women’s outreach and safe homes because she has witnessed domestic violence.
“I witnessed domestic violence firsthand and so that’s always been something close to my heart and it just fit really well with the timing of trying to give my dancers a performance outlet,” she says.
“I always … try to tell [women] that they’re amazing, that they’re empowering and that they’re so strong, and all these things that they don’t necessarily always see in themselves, and I thought that that was really well aligned with the mission of the CDCSS,” she adds.
McEwan hopes to raise $1,000, but this is her first fundraiser, so she’s not sure if that’s doable.
“I know that the yogathon just did $1,000, so I was like, ‘OK, maybe we’ll just aim for $1,000.’ That might be totally out to lunch, I have no idea,” she explains.
The event also includes a silent auction and seven vendors who are all local, female entrepreneurs.
Glitter and Sweat is for women over 18 years of age. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show is expected to start at 7:30 p.m. Entry is by donation, but it’s OK if someone can’t afford to make a donation too.
“They’re still welcome,” says McEwan.
Adult dance classes at Arrow Dance Studio have just finished, but will start again in September. Anyone interested in more information can visit arrowdancestudio.com or facebook.com/arrowdancestudio.