News

April 05, 2008

TORONTO’S OWN “BABY BALLROOM” WILL TAKE CENTRE STAGE AGAIN AT THE PALAIS ROYALE!

On SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 the Palais Royale Ballroom will again be the proud sponsors of the Colours of the Rainbow Team Match ballroom dance competition for Toronto’s Dancing Classrooms™ culminating yet another very successful term across 13 Toronto Public and Catholic Elementary Schools in the program’s inaugural year in Canada.  Dancing Classrooms™ is the brain child of Pierre Dulaine, the subject of Hollywood’s Take the Lead starring Antonio Banderas and the now world famous documentary film Mad Hot Ballroom.  Started in 1994 in the inner city schools of New York City, Dancing Classrooms is now enthusiastically embraced by educators and community leaders across several major cities in the U.S.A.  Pierre is a ballroom champion of international renown. He was invited by Britain to be a special guest/judge on their highly acclaimed “Baby Ballroom” series that recently aired in Toronto.

In the current Academic Year 2007/08, over 35,000 students across North America, including Toronto will have participated in this extra-ordinary Character Education program that brings the discipline and joy of ballroom dance, as well as unique academic enrichment components into the classrooms for 50-minutes twice per week for ten weeks. The Team Match on Sunday, April 13th culminates the Winter Program that took place January 21, 2008 to April 4, 2008 and in which over 700 Grade 4, 5 & 6 students participated across the following 13 Toronto Public and Catholic Elementary Schools:

*Nelson Mandela Jr.  *Lord Dufferin Jr. *Sprucecourt Jr. *Duke of York/Regent Park Jr. *Ecole Winchester *Highland Creek Jr. *Holy Child *Sts. Cosmas & Damian *St. Benedict *Parkdale Jr. *St. Cyril *Rose Avenue Jr. *Tom Longboat Jr.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2008, the thirteen schools will compete in the Semi-Finals at Ecole Winchester throughout the day. Seven semi-finalist schools will be selected to compete as this term’s Quarter Finalists for the exciting Grand Trophy Competition that will be hosted at the Palais Royale on the evening of Monday, June 23, 2008. At that time Nine Quarter Finalist schools will compete for the very first time for the coveted Palais Royale Trophy.

Join the Dance (Canada) is the Ontario representative for Dancing Classrooms, a registered trade marked program owned by Pierre Dulaine and American Ballroom Theater.  

Please visit our website at www.jointhedance.com for more details.

Media invited to cover event
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2008
Time: 12 Noon to 2:30 p.m. Doors Open at 11:30 a.m.  Free Parking.
Admission Fee: $10 per person. Children under 12 Free.
Contacts: Ilsa Abraham, Tel: 905 837 7795 or Bob Rutherford, Tel: 416 493 4653