New dance pac thunders in for the Lightning
A new dance group is striking
down in Budweiser Gardens. The
London Lightning NBL team is
forming a new dance pack to perform
at all of their home games.
The team will bring passion and
variety to the court as they'll consist
of jazz dancers, breakdancers,
hip-hop dancers and acrobats.
Creative director Shawna Kwan is
hoping to get fans excited, "I think
we're gonna be doing some hiphop
and some street jazz and some
jazz funk. It's gonna be a little bit
more focused on engaging the
audience, really pump up stuff."
Kwan owns Élan Dance Arts in the city, and is eager to start the new project. "The team wanted to go in a little bit of a new direction this year, we're trying to model it after some other NBA teams, so we're going for a bit of a different focus."
Team member Shauna McConnell said she can't wait to be a part of the pack. "The opportunity to dance for the London Lightning is great! I am from Toronto and grew up watching the Raptors Dance Pac. Now I am getting a chance to be a part of something just like that!"
The dancers will open and close the home games and also perform before the second and fourth quarters. "Dancing in front of an audience is one of my favourite parts of performing," said McConnell, who's danced for 17 years. "The fact that I get to share my love for dance with an entire stadium is mind-blowing."
Kwan said she hopes the dance pac will make a positive impact on the team. "The goal essentially is just to get a team of really talented, outgoing, upbeat girls that are excited to commit to the season. Hopefully we make it into the playoffs and get to dance a little bit more and hopefully we end up being a team that maybe travels with our players."
McConnell teaches at Élan Dance Arts and is also the creative director of Black Dahlia Entertainment; she squeezes in time to dance at every possible moment. "The dance community in London is awesome. I have met so many fantastic people taking classes and doing shows. This is just another way to get involved and I am so excited for it."
Kwan is still searching for more dancers to join the team. "Right now we are probably looking at around 10 girls per game, but hopefully I can get more, a dozen to 15 girls a game would be absolutely amazing." If you're interested in becoming a Dance Pac member, there are two more auditions. The first will be held at the Campus Recreation Centre at Western University on October 23 at 8 p.m. and one at Fanshawe on October 28 at 3 p.m.
Kwan owns Élan Dance Arts in the city, and is eager to start the new project. "The team wanted to go in a little bit of a new direction this year, we're trying to model it after some other NBA teams, so we're going for a bit of a different focus."
Team member Shauna McConnell said she can't wait to be a part of the pack. "The opportunity to dance for the London Lightning is great! I am from Toronto and grew up watching the Raptors Dance Pac. Now I am getting a chance to be a part of something just like that!"
The dancers will open and close the home games and also perform before the second and fourth quarters. "Dancing in front of an audience is one of my favourite parts of performing," said McConnell, who's danced for 17 years. "The fact that I get to share my love for dance with an entire stadium is mind-blowing."
Kwan said she hopes the dance pac will make a positive impact on the team. "The goal essentially is just to get a team of really talented, outgoing, upbeat girls that are excited to commit to the season. Hopefully we make it into the playoffs and get to dance a little bit more and hopefully we end up being a team that maybe travels with our players."
McConnell teaches at Élan Dance Arts and is also the creative director of Black Dahlia Entertainment; she squeezes in time to dance at every possible moment. "The dance community in London is awesome. I have met so many fantastic people taking classes and doing shows. This is just another way to get involved and I am so excited for it."
Kwan is still searching for more dancers to join the team. "Right now we are probably looking at around 10 girls per game, but hopefully I can get more, a dozen to 15 girls a game would be absolutely amazing." If you're interested in becoming a Dance Pac member, there are two more auditions. The first will be held at the Campus Recreation Centre at Western University on October 23 at 8 p.m. and one at Fanshawe on October 28 at 3 p.m.
