Havre dance recitals return with 'Once Upon A Time' show

This weekend, Havre's Studio of Dance and Arts is bringing the fun and fantasy of the silver screen to the stage with its latest recital, "Once Upon A Time."

Christina Lickfold, president of the studio's board of directors, said the show is loosely based on the works of Disney and other films. The show will feature multiple styles of dance from ballet to jazz. Lickfold said the show will feature nearly every style one could think of.

The performances will be at the Havre High School auditorium beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 12, with a Sunday show at 2 p.m. June 13. The cost is $5.

Lickfold said how proud she was of the performers, who had far less time to prepare for this weekend's shows than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also said it's nice to be experiencing a feeling of normalcy after the students were not able to showcase their efforts in 2020.

"It's tremendously wonderful. I can't even tell you how nice it is. Last year, we did not get to have our recital. The kids put in hundreds of hours of work and you know, weren't able to show anybody. So we're pretty ecstatic that we get to have a recital this year and especially one that is open to the public," Lickfold said.

The studio did not stage any shows in 2020 because of the pandemic, returning in January 2021 with "Tried and True, Red, White and Blue" with preparations for "Once Upon A Time" also beginning then.

"Recital preparations did not begin until January, which is very unusual. Typically, we start rehearsals in August or September. So these kids have only had a few months to throw together a recital, many of whom are in multiple pieces. Some kids are in 10 or 12 dances, so to learn that choreography in a few months is pretty outstanding," Lickfold said.

"We have villain characters, we have princess characters, we have, like highlighting pieces from certain Disney movies like 'Maleficent' and 'Snow White,' and we have some girls, we put hours upon hours making costumes that look like trees, they have to wear these giant tree pieces on their heads. So, it's a production," she added.

Jamie Mangold said the stage being used was built by Mark Chvilicek and herself.

Limited COVID-19 precautions will be in place for the shows.

"We are asking that people wear masks to their seats and when they get up to go to the bathroom and whatnot, but once you're seated, you can take your mask off. We just ask them to keep common sense in mind. Use hand sanitizer. If you're sick, if a family member is sick, please don't come. So, pretty self-explanatory and common sense measures but for the most part, we're going to run a show as we normally do," Lickfold said.

"The community is going to have an amazing show. We have some really special pieces planned. We have some top, award-winning pieces in the showcase, a lot of talented girls," Lickfold continued.

For people interested in joining the Studio of Dance and Arts, new season registration begins in August with exact dates to be announced. The 2021-22 dance season begins Sept. 7. The studio offers a variety of classes including ballet, tap, contemporary, jazz, hip hop and tumbling.

Prospective students can visit the studio's website for more information, https://www.studioofdanceandartsmt.com/ .