Tiny dancer
Port Williams youth set to perform in Germany
Kenzie Melanson is dancing her way to Germany.
Melanson is the only dancer from the Annapolis Valley who has been invited to participate in an upcoming international experience.
A member of the Nova Scotia Irish Dancers ( NSID), she danced in the Halifax International Tattoo several months ago. Since then, the troupe has been invited to dance in the Hamburg, Germany Polizei Show.
Melanson, who is almost 15, is busy fundraising for the trip to what she calls the German Tattoo, which takes place Oct. 19 to 23.
The 15- member troupe will be performing three times during their short stay in Hamburg. Irish dancer Kenzie Melanson of Port Williams is shown with her grandparents after a performance at the Nova Scotia Tattoo in Halifax.
Melanson, who lives in Port Williams and goes to Horton High School, has been dan- cing since she was three. She says she has decided to focus on Irish dance.
“I like the fast footwork. It’s nice to be different too,” the Grade 10 student and youngest member of the troupe says.
With Irish in her family background, the dance style has extra meaning and Melanson certainly isn’t complaining about weekly trips to the city for rehearsals prior to the journey overseas.
“It’ll be a great experience representing Canada and a great experience representing Nova Scotia,” she says.
Niamh Webster, director of Tir na nOg Irish Dance Academy, says, “Kenzie works hard in class and at home. She loves to dance and she shares that joy with the smile she wears while in class and while dancing at shows.”
Webster called the trip “a great opportunity for her to work with the dancers in NSID and head to Germany.”
The Nova Scotia Irish Dancers is an auditioned performance troupe that came together in 2012 for The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, under the artistic direction of Zeph Caissie.
Caissie, a professional Irish dancer and Irish dance teacher, toured with Riverdance for eight years after retiring from competition.
Melanson says her teacher offers a modern twist on classis Irish choreography.
The troupe aims to raise $ 16,500 in order to cover its costs. A Go Fund Me page has been set up at https:// www. gofundme. com/ 2jv6td7p