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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, November 20, 2015 | 20 Artscene "Connected to your Community" From Oakville to Abydos, Egypt Post's Corners P .S. students Parker Woodman (left) and Hannah Warby are headed to Reisa, Germany for the World Show Dance Championships next week. The competition is largely known as the "Olympics of dance." | submitted photos Oakville dancers to take on world stage by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Two Post's Corners Public School students will be taking on the international stage when they head to World Show Dance Championships in Germany next week. Hannah Warby, Grade 7, and Parker Woodman, Grade 6, will be joining Oakville's Maija Smith and Yasmina Granic as Team Canada Dance competes in Reisa, Germany in what is largely described as "the Olympics of dance." The International Dance Organization, which puts together the competition, is a world federation with a membership of 90 nations representing more than 250,000 dancers from six continents. Participants compete to earn gold, silver and bronze designations. All members of Team Canada Dance had to audition for a spot, with Hannah set to compete in the Junior Show Dance category and Parker in Children's Show Dance. Show Dance is a high-calibre jazz type of dance that tells a story. "It is exciting but also lots of work," said 12-year-old Hannah, who also dances competitively at Oakville's Canadian Dance Company. "I have learned a lot from training for worlds and doing our dance, and I will continue to learn from other countries while I am in Germany. I have also made lots of new friends. I can't wait for Germany." Both Hannah and Parker said they felt proud to be representing Canada, which is sending three teams (Team Canada East, West and Central) to the world championships. "I get nervous when I think about how amazing all the dancers from other countries might be, but it motivates me to work that much harder," said 11-year-old Parker, who also dances competitively at Premiere Dance Inc. in Burlington. "I've been counting down the days and I get more and more excited. I can't wait to learn new things, make new friends, and learn about the German culture." Every dancer competing at the world championships needs to raise $3,600 (plus the cost of chaperones) through sponsorships and fundraising events. Both Hannah and Parker have online fundraising pages to help them cover the costs of fees, flights, costumes, accommodations and travel, among other expenses. "Dancers are passionate about their craft and this is as close as the girls can get to being in the Olympics," said Tonya Kokonakis, Parker's mom. Before the team heads off to Germany, there will be a Gala for Gold event at Mississauga's Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., today (Friday) to showcase the dancers in all genres. Tomorrow (Saturday) will be the last chance to catch the life and art of Oakville Egyptologist Amice Calverley (1896-1959) at the latest exhibit at the Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate, 8 Navy St. Pictured at the opening last month, Laura Ranieri-Roy and Thomas H. Greiner were two of the first to tour the exhibit. Both gave a hour-long presentation on Egypt and Amice Caverley's work there. For more photos from the opening, visit insidehalton.com/oakville-on. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver Masterworks kicks off holidays with Messiah Masterworks of Oakville chorus and orchestra is kicking off the holiday season with a concert featuring Handel's Messiah, starting tonight (Friday). "This beloved piece of music is a seasonal favourite and the perfect way to get the holidays underway," stated a media release. "Ten years ago, Masterworks was founded by Joyce Sitarski and music director Charles Demuynck at St. Andrew Church to perform G.F . Handel's Messiah. The performance brought together St Andrew's Choir, with other choristers from the area for the inaugural performance. "Now, here we are, 10 years later, back at our `home' church performing Messiah again to celebrate the 175th anniversary of this beautiful historic church." Oakville native and soprano Allison McAuley is returning to her hometown to perform in the concert. She will be joined by fellow sofrom ages seven to 18. She attended St. Vincent Elementary School and Oakville Trafalgar High School where she performed in numerous musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof and Footloose. A graduate of Queen's University (with a bachelor of music in Vocal Performance) and New York University (master of music in Opera Performance), McAuley -- who currently lives in New York City -- has been a part of Opera Singers Initiative, AIMS (Austria), Nevada Opera and Manhattan School of Music. The upcoming performances at St. Andrew Church, 47 Reynolds St., are set for Friday and tomorrow (Saturday) at 8 p.m., and Sunday (Nov. 22) at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $30 (adults), $25 (seniors) and $10 (students), and can be purchased at www. masterworksofoakville.ca. The concert is free for children aged younger than 10. Allison McAuley loists: Courtney V. Murias (mezzo soprano); Michael P . Taylor (tenor); and James Baldwin (bass). "Though I may have performed in Europe and across the U.S., there really is no place like home," said McAuley. "The opportunity to be with family and friends in a setting as familiar as St. Andrew's means the world to me." McAuley grew up singing with the St. Andrew's Children's Choir under the direction of Diana Isherwood where she was a member