Hundreds of dancers gathered last week as the Moose Jaw Festival of Dance celebrated 65 years with five days of performances, awards, and scholarship presentations at A.E. Peacock Collegiate.

Organized by Dance Inspirations, the event welcomed participants from across Saskatchewan and Alberta featuring ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theatre performances from May 6 to 10.

Festival president Krysta Field said the milestone event drew strong support from returning families, alumni, and the broader dance community.

“People were really excited about the 65th annual event, and there were more than 400 participants … along with their families visiting Moose Jaw, so it was a good weekend for bringing a lot of people into the city,” Field said. “There were people who had previously been part of the festival, and now their kids are dancing in it, and grandparents are coming back.”

Field said enthusiasm remained high, with organizers selling out of anniversary merchandise.

“We actually sold out of all the merchandise we had printed for the 65th annual event, and it was really nice to see everyone wearing the logo we created for the anniversary,” she said.

Dance Challenge highlights

The festival concluded May 10 with Dance Challenge 2026 at the Peacock Centennial Auditorium, where top-scoring junior and senior group performances from throughout the week returned to compete for additional honours and cash prizes sponsored by End of the Roll Flooring Centre.

Final results included:

• Junior Dance Challenge
  • First place: “LDNT” — Rise Dance Company
  • Second place: “Statuesque” — Doris Sitter School of Dance
  • Third place: “Good Vibes” — Sitter School of Dance
• Senior Dance Challenge
  • First place: “Blue Monday” — Rise Dance Company
  • Second place: “Funky Town” — Joy’s Dance Factory
  • Third place: “Smooth Criminal” — Doris Sitter School of Dance

Scholarships, special awards

The festival distributed more than $50,000 in scholarships, bursaries, and awards, continuing its long-standing focus on supporting dance education and reducing financial barriers for participants.

Major award winners included:

• Cooper Loshack, Rise Dance Company — Doris Sitter Memorial Award and Channing Bowes Rhythm Award
• Bailey Mardell, Rise Dance Company — Joyce Hagan Memorial Award and Barb Jackman Rhythm Within Award
• Axelle Lorenz, Joy’s Dance Factory — Blake Krauss Passion for Performance Memorial Award
• Monroe Bauer, Joy’s Dance Factory — Nursery Rhyme category winner
• Rise Dance Company’s “Blue Monday” — Helen Tait Memorial Trophy for the festival’s highest overall mark

Field said dancers and instructors responded positively to the festival.

“A lot of them say it’s their favourite event to attend,” she said. “They say the atmosphere is really positive, well organized, and well run, and I would say after 65 years we’re a well-oiled machine.”

She attributed part of the festival’s continued success to its consistency over the decades.

“We honour the traditions of the past and don’t make a lot of changes year over year,” she said. “I think that nostalgia and old-time festival feeling still remains part of our event.”

Community support

One featured moment came during the opening of the Dance Challenge, when Indigenous hoop dancer Lawrence Roy performed a traditional 30-hoop dance while sharing cultural teachings with dancers and families.

Field also highlighted the role of three adjudicators from across Canada, who provided workshops and feedback sessions following each performance block.

“They really enjoyed their time in Moose Jaw and working with the dancers,” she noted.

Behind the scenes, the festival relied on hundreds of volunteer shifts and a 19-member committee that works year-round to organize the event.

“Our event truly wouldn’t be possible without volunteers,” Field said.

The Festival of Dance traces its roots back to 1959 and remains one of the city’s longest-running arts events.

Dance Inspirations is currently seeking additional committee members ahead of next year’s festival and will host its annual general meeting Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce. Further details are expected closer to the date.

For more information, including a full list of award winners, visit DanceInspirations.ca.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express