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BB i nc. w/\rv v iLLfc bfcAV fcK Wednesday, August 25, tyyy THEZ/^N O akville CENTRE 130 NAVY ST. 815-2021 Arts & Entertainment OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE OAKVILLE CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 2 4 (E x te n sio n 2 5 4 ) F ax 3 3 7 - 5 5 6 7 «ruiscM®«cnlcrs Canada's HI Cruise Specialist on Reg number 04346425 300 Randall SL just east of Trafalgar DOWNTOWN OAKVILLE (9 0 5 ) 3 3 8 - 8 0 8 3 SAir (Mis m:iiiiiik 15. uimi UP CLOSE & INTIMATE. I E / / P K V \KVILLE K T H t Pf WORMING ARTS A T THE O AKVILLE CENTRE EOR THE PERFORM ING ARTS FOR TICKETS CALL (905) 815-2021 Tickets on sale now to big ticket members. On sale to public September 7th. T h e Oa k v il l e B eavef official media sponsor of The Oakville Centre Gillian Shaughnessy, 13, (left) Andrea Palen, 14, and Erin Shaughnessy, 14, are decked out in their heavy, embroi­ dered costumes, preparing for the Irish Feis that will see them and about 800 other Irish dancers competing for various trophies and medals in a number of age categories on Saturday, Sept. 4th at Iroquois Ridge High School. Book your audition If you are interested in auditioning for this year's pro­ duction of Mr. Scrooge, better get your photo and resume in now to FanFare Theatrical Pro­ ductions, 488 Upper James St., Hamilton, Ont., L9C 2X8. Director Dia Frid is looking for six males and seven females between the ages of 25 to 65 (including the title role), one female between 16 and 21 years old with a mini­ mum of 10 years of ballet train­ ing, and a num­ ber of young people of both sexes aged 10 and older. Auditions will take place at The Fleming School of Dance, 140 Dunn St. on Sept. 12th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Family feis-ish The Shaughnessy family is up to its curly locks in By Carol Baldwin ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Irish dancing will be taking Oakville by storm as hundreds of dancers descend on Iroquois Ridge High School on Satur­ day, Sept. 4th. Once again the Oakville Irish Feis Association (OIFA) will be hosting its annual feis (competition), only this year the one-day event will bring the halls of IRHS to life with the sound of Celtic music. (This feis will also include an Irish-themed poetry and essay competition for all age groups.) Last year's dancing extravaganza attracted over 800 competitors from across Canada and the United States, including adult dancers and those as young as two. Cathy Shaughnessy's family is up to its curly locks in preparations. Cathy, secretary of OIFA, is an important cog in the organizational wheel, and her three daughters will be competing in their brightly coloured regulation dresses. In the Shaughnessy household, Irish dancing began when Gillian, 13, saw a performance and fell in love with the dance form. Her sis­ ters, Erin, 14, and Meagan, 16, soon followed suit. "It's such a joyous form of dance for them," says mom, who recently decided to join the Shaughnessy women and take dance lessons her­ self. "It's a lot of fun. The reason I started was because a lot of compe­ titions in the States are for parent and child, and I wanted to dance with my three girls. So I started tak­ ing lessons, so I wouldn't look like a total idiot when I got up there." Last year Cathy's team of four adults won first place in the Eastern Canadian Regional Championships. One of the difficulties in Irish dancing, say the Shaughnessys, is keeping the upper body rigid while the active feet do all the work. "When you're moving your feet so much, your arms want to move, too," explains Gillian. "And sometimes just for balance, you want to move your arms," says her mother, adding with a shrug. "Every form of dance has its own difficulties." They all agree that Riverdance has made a difference to Irish danc­ ing, creating an increase in interest and effecting changes that included simpler costumes and more intricate steps, especially steps that involve toe work. The increased interest means more students are taking their first annual Irish feis lesson at an older age, says Gillian - her mom being a perfect example. And, she adds, "More people are involved in the competitions, too." Her sister Erin is pleased that the Riverdance influence to simpler cos­ tumes was a passing fancy. She prefers the heavier, traditional cos­ tumes with their colourful embroi­ dery (and expensive price tag). "It's fun to design your own dress and pick out the colours," says Erin, noting that she designed her current costume. "Sometimes it's personal taste - what colours look good on you; and sometimes it's what colours are 'in' at the time." Most dancers change their cos­ tumes every year or two, paying about $1,500 for a new one. Those made in Ireland cost even more. But many dancers sell their used cos­ tumes and also buy used ones. If they do decide to have one costume made, they need to order a year or two in advance. "The dresses are so popular that people now will get a dress, then turn around and book their next appointment (to have their next dress made)," says Cathy, adding that the adult dancers are saved that expense. "We wear plaid vests, short navy skirts and white blouses." This year's feis already has dancers registered from Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Wis­ consin, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Illinois and Virginia, including those from the North American Championships. These competitors will be vying for about $8,000 worth of trophies and medals and, of course, the stone cross - "the signature cross from our feis, special to our feis...It's one of the high crosses from Ireland. Every feis has its own special awards," says Cathy, adding that nine of the judges come from Cana­ da and the U. S.; the tenth hails from Ireland. "The top two levels - preliminary and open - have three judges. The other competitions have a single judge." Cathy says the feis committee has been organizing this competition since November, not only publiciz­ ing the event and taking registra­ tions but being sure to book an air conditioned space big enough to accommodate the crowd, the food to feed them, and the booths that will be selling related wares. Those interested in tickets for this annual event, which begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues until about 5 p.m., can call Cathy at 844-7716 or David Palen, OIFA president, at 845-0257. Photo by Barrie Erskine summer afternoon in Oakville Harbour, soon begin preparations for their winter's hibernation. HARBOUR HAPPENINGS: If boating or boat watching is your kind of entertain­ ment, better enjoy now. Sum- will soon be to an end, boats, here on a Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra Canadi­ an Tribute to Glenn Miller Colin James & The Little Big Band Leave the Porch Light On... The Oakville Children's Choir John M cDermott Patricia O 'Callaghan Desrosiers Dance Theatre --| M ichelle Wright Albert Schultz M ike M andel Franklin The Turtle The Barra M acNeils I Can Sing (Can't I?) The N utcracker t Mr. Scrooge BOOK NOW! MORE CRUISES MORE ITINERARIES Hundreds of Caribbean & Mexican Riviera Cruises to choose from this winter. Enjoy the selection and convenience of booking ahead. GREAT VALUE EOR YOUR WINTER HOLIDAY ONE WEEK CRUISE FROM usssrsw* Twin basis. Port charges included! L o w a ir a d d -o n s a va ila b le fro m To ron to H Carnival fyur Kind of Funs'-* Carruvi FyCneso* feature Cgha by ***• •* P » P«*on. bawd on a double occupancy, category 4. with fee port charges. . . _ r a m a tv a Groturties indudad. Price re«eds a one week cruise from Son Juan abowd the A I N L A N A D A W Fascination, October 2 4 9, 1P99 ladings Price b Wid at lime of printing and is subject to chonge. Capacity controSed. Ship's ragtsfry. Liberia and Panama i ft * > * 24 (Extension 254) Fax 337-5567 «ruiscM®«cnlcrs (905) 338-8083 SAir (Mis m:iiiiiik 15. uimi \KVILLE FOR TICKETS CALL Book your audition Family feis-ish By Carol Baldwin HARBOUR HAPPENINGS: BOOK NOW! MORE CRUISES MORE ITINERARIES GREAT VALUE EOR YOUR WINTER HOLIDAY ONE WEEK CRUISE FROM H Carnival