The Greatest Show Indeed!
This past Memorial Day weekend the Royal Blue Dance Company at Blue Dog Dance (The Royals) set the stage at the Kirkland Performance Center alight with their annual benefit gala to raise money for Seattle Children’s Hospital. And if you missed it, you missed a show that would have, in the words of Barbara Walshe owner of Blue Dog and the Director of the Royals, “knocked your socks off!”
Every year the Royals host a gala where they showcase their remarkable dance talent and the extraordinary choreography skills of Royals alumni and Blue Dog staff. All dance forms are showcased: ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and musical theatre with dances performed by groups, duets, and solos. An enthusiastic audience cheered on this wonderful cast made up of 9th through 12th graders. Choreographed and performed by the high school seniors, the solos serve as a poignant farewell to a studio they hold dear. The camaraderie amongst these dancers is clear, and the stage lights only outshone the smiles onstage. The behind-the-scenes videos are fun and show that these friendships will last far longer than the last curtain call, as will their love for their craft, their teachers, and Blue Dog.
As mentioned earlier, the goal of the gala is to raise funds for Seattle Children’s Hospital and the important work they do fighting childhood illnesses and as such a pillar in the community. This year’s guest speakers at the gala daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. As a family, they all bravely fought, overcame, and conquered this childhood cancer with the help of Seattle Children’s.
The Royals’ mission is to raise money to benefit the community and to have fun doing it. Being a member of the Royal Blue Dance Company is a great way to belong to a cause that is bigger than dance and give back to a local charitable organization that you or someone you know might need to rely on one day.
This year The Royals raised a record-breaking $32,000 for Seattle Children’s Hospital. We would like to thank the Blue Dog Dance extended family for their wonderful support!