By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — Belle, the Beast and other characters were brought to life in this year’s recital by the Craik School of Dance.

The dance students presented Beauty and the Beast to an audience of about 65 people in the auditorium at Craik School on May 13.

The one-hour program, inspired by both the 1991 Disney animated film and the recent live-action remake, included roughly a dozen dance routines set to familiar songs like “Be Our Guest.”

Also featured were scenes from the movies, acted out on stage by a troupe of adult and child performers.

Dance instructor Amber Koza-Drimmie Vibert said she began planning the recital around the classic tale last year.

“It’s been my favourite movie my whole life,” she said.

A display in the school foyer included a cardboard stand-up promoting the 1991 movie, as originally displayed in a video rental store.

Vibert said they assigned acting parts a couple of weeks before the recital. After the other actors had made their choices, she tried a few roles and wound up playing Gaston, at the insistence of her students.

Her costume included boots made out of duct tape. Vibert said the character was a good fit for her, calling him “very flamboyant.”

Vibert had 10 students enrolled in Craik this year, ranging in age from five to 21 years. She taught in Craik one night a week and also operated a studio in Eyebrow.

For the full story and additional photos, please see the May 22 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.