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Richmond dance schools bring home regional awards

Chinese traditional dance charm captivates audience at prestigious competition

Two Richmond dance schools brought home a dozen awards this month from a regional competition.

Cindy Yang Dance Academy of Canada, a Richmond-based dance school, won 15 first-place awards at the 2024 Surrey Festival of Dance and numerous second- and third-place awards.

Another Richmond dance school, Colours Of Dance Academy, also brought home a number of awards including four first-place finishes, four second-place finishes and three third-place finishes.

Jasmine Zhang, principal of Colours of Dance Academy, said she was happy to see the students showcasing their skills and passion for dance on the stage during the competition.

"Thanks to every dancer who participated in the competition, people got to see their enthusiasm and talent, and the unique charm of Chinese traditional dance," said Zhang.

"We are also happy to see dances of various ethnic groups thriving in the multicultural society in Canada."

Cindy Yang Dance Academy's Mongolian dance - a group dance presented by 20 performances aged 15 and older - was the only program that received full marks at the competition. 

"The judge had tears in her eyes when watching the program," said Yang Yang, the school's art director.

"She said she was moved by the performance, which made her see authenticity in dance... We are excited to introduce the Chinese ethnicity culture to others through our dance."

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