Swinging with the Stars presented by Canadian Tire raised $160,000 for Hope’s Home on March 18, 2023.

Thank you to the dancers, sponsors, judges, audience and everyone who supported this incredible evening.

Swinging with the Stars is similar to the popular reality TV show Dancing with the Stars. We take eight of the city’s most influential people and pair them each with a professional dancer. The pairs then compete in front of a high-energy crowd to win bragging rights for the “Crowd Favourite” and “Judge’s Favourite” awards.

Pictures from the Evening!

Photos by Sudesh Galhenage

Meet the Dancers

Breann

Breann is a pediatrician who grew up in Prince Albert and is now back raising her own family. She is glad to be back and help the children in Prince Albert and the surrounding areas! She believes in rainbows and butterflies, that tutu’s should be a formal outfit option, and that dancing and music are essential to the soul.

What are you most excited about?

Raising money for Hope’s Home, because it is one of the most amazing organizations I have not only been able to work with, but also get to know. And getting to perform in a “non-traditional” outfit –  I used to Ukrainian dance, so I am used to babushka’s and big skirts.

Makenna

Makenna is an Emergency Medical Responder with Parkland Ambulance. She still be going back to school later in 2023, to gain further education in the Paramedical field. She has been dancing since she was little, competing from a young age and dancing as much as possible. Dance is still her passion and she dances any chance she gets.

What are you most excited about?

I am most excited to be out dancing in the community with all my dance friends and the people who make Prince Albert an amazing community to be a part of. With dancing being my passion, I think it is a great way to get the community together for such a great cause.

Craig

Born and raised in Prince Albert, Craig is a father to 3 amazing kids; Jam, Penn and Peter, and husband to his incredible wife Caylee. Craig has been with the City for almost 15 years, and Director of Planning and Development Services for the last 4. Craig was actually responsible for issuing all of the City permits for Hopes Home when they first got established in PA back in 2012. In his downtime, Craig enjoys spending time at his cabin at Candle Lake, along with golfing, fishing and getting together with his family and friends. Craig feels incredibly honoured to be part of such a great cause!

What are you most excited about? Learning about such an amazing organization and fundraising tons of $$$!!!

Bethany

Bethany has been dancing for 24 years and after dreaming about it for many years, recently opened her own dance studio, Prince Albert Dance Company. When she is not in the studio she is out exploring with her two little boys and husband.

What are you most excited about? I have loved getting to know my partner we instantly clicked. I also can’t wait to do what I love all while raising money for an amazing organization.

Nicholas

Nicholas moved to Canada in 2017 and is now the manager at Lake Country Co-op Ambrose. He has played soccer since he was 4 and still plays today. He enjoys a wide variety of sports as a spectator and likes to pick up new hobbies.

What are you most excited about? Getting out of my comfort zone and having fun trying to entertain spectators with an outstanding performance.

Charitee

Charitee was born in Prince Albert and began taking dance lessons at the age of 3. She continued to dance competitively until graduating high school and then made the difficult decision to put dance on hold to pursue her bachelor of education and a career as a teacher. She recently moved back to Prince Albert after being offered a position as an elementary school teacher in the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division. She got the chance to re-enter the “dance world” by being offered a position as a dance instructor at Bold Dance Productions.

What are you most excited about? Being able to give back to the community, getting the opportunity to perform.

Ryan

Ryan is a husband and a father of three.  He started Wicks Detailing 5 years ago, allowing him the flexibility needed to support the needs of his children`s busy, activity-filled lives.  Wicks Detailing has allowed him to surround himself with wonderful, like-minded people and clients.

He enjoys spending time at the lake, swimming, dirt bike and side-by-side rides on the trails at Candle Lake. His other passion is old, classic cars, trucks and motorbikes.

What are you most excited about? I`m very excited to raise money for Hopes Home.  Jackie and I had all three of our children at Hopes Home and the support they provided to our little babies was second to none.  The staff all became friends, and we felt there was no safer and more loved environment besides our home there could have been and we are eternally grateful.

Rachel

Rachel is part of the inaugural Swinging With the Stars Prince Albert crew, and is thrilled to be back on stage again this year.  Rachel teaches dance full-time at Bold Dance Studio.  All that you need to know about Rachel is that since the age of 4 dancing is her life and her absolute favourite thing to do, and if she happens to take a break from dancing, it’s usually to swing a golf club.

What are you most excited about? To dance on stage again

Wilna 

Wilna is a South African Canadian photographer, digital designer, visual artist, and graduated with a BA(FA) degree from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 1996.

Wilna’s work has a neo-expressionistic feel and explores symbolism, semiotics, and contrast. Wilna is also a memory keeper, digital designer, and Art Journaler who has spent years applying her background in fine arts to her passion for preserving memories. Wilna worked in the Scrapbooking Industry for 11 years and it all started when she was one of 25 winners of the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame in 2006. She did design work for big box companies and have her own business called iHeartstudio.ca. Wilna is a popular event teacher and has been fortunate to teach classes in the US, Canada, South Africa, Spain, Germany and Australia. She has taught online for Studio Calico, Big Picture Classes, Craftsy and have lots of classes on her own website iheartstudio.ca.

Tia

Tia feels fortunate to call Prince Albert home for the past 17 years. Tia’s childhood and adolescent years were filled with dance classes, exams, festivals, and recitals. The dance studio is where Tia’s love for the arts truly began, leading her to work at the Mann Art Gallery. She is also the co-owner of the local art school Lemon Yellow Art Studio and offers fine arts classes to the community.

Tia is excited to get back on the stage with her dance friends.

Teigan

Teigan grew up in Prince Albert and is now raising a family there. She is married and has 3 children. She started a photography business, Teiganilanaphoto in 2020 and specializes in Wedding and Lifestyle Photography. She loves photography because it is a creative outlet and there is always something to learn. She enjoys meeting new people and loves capturing them in their current stage of life, whether they are the big moments or anything in between. When she is not working she spends time with her family at the lake, down a trail or on our acreage making memories!

 

What about SWTS are you most excited about? 

Excited to learn something new and to play a small part in giving back to an organization that I love!

Heather

Heather was born and raised in Prince Albert.  She has been dancing since she was 6 years old and it quickly became a large part of her life.  She loved dancing throughout the years and being able to take various genres of dance.  Dance also provided many great opportunities such as travelling and performing.  Heather now loves sharing her dance experience with her dance students at Ballet N All That Jazz.

She is also a schoolteacher. She received her Bachelor of Education from the SUNTEP program in Prince Albert and recently became a spin instructor with the S2dio.

TrevorSwinging with the Stars for Hopes Home

Some people may recognize him (or his voice) as the former voice of the Prince Albert Raiders on CKBI. He held that role for four seasons from 2018-2021. He is now in a sales position with a software company called Brandbastion, but still lives and works in Prince Albert with his wife McKenzie.

What are you most excited about?

Supporting Hope’s Home! Working at Pattison Media, I spent time with the Hope’s Home team and learned a lot about what they do and the value they bring to our community. I’m excited to play a small role in helping them fundraise and continue to raise their profile.

Kim

Kim has been dancing since the age of 3 and I can’t imagine her life without it! She has had many opportunities to perform across the world with a variety of groups including Disney Canada, Dance Saskatchewan’s Dare to Dance, and National Modern Dance Theatre. She was also honoured to dance before the Queen at the Lieutenant Governors Saskatchewan Centennial Gala. Kim is now the proud owner of Bold Dance Productions and is so excited to be a part of Swinging with the Stars again this year!

What are you most excited about?

I am most excited to perform on stage!  As a Dance Teacher, I love teaching dance and seeing my students shine on stage, but I miss performing so that’s what I am most excited for!  I am also excited to teach Trevor some dance moves and be a part of such great fundraiser.

Farica

Farica is the Deputy Chief of Police for the Prince Albert Police Service. Prince Albert has been home for her since 2021 and she loves being a part of the community. Her policing career started in 2001 and has taken her to serve in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

Being new to Prince Albert, she has made learning about the community and local organizations a priority. Farica is humbled to work alongside the dedicated professionals of PAPS. Inclusivity and valuing human differences are essential parts of her foundation and she is thankful to be welcomed to Prince Albert and into Treaty 6 and proud to call it home.

What are you most excited about?

I’m feeling pretty lucky to have Modeste as a partner. He’s a professional dancer and seasoned instructor, so his everlasting patience will be a game-changer! Also, being able to bring something new to SWTS, this is going to be fun! The community comes together and does amazing things, just like this to create connection, identity and belonging. I am excited to be part of that cohesiveness. Hope’s Home has a special place in my heart and if stepping completely outside my comfort zone helps in any little way, I’m happy to!

Modest

Modeste is a Dene-Metis man, who is originally from La Ronge, but currently lives in Prince Albert. He is a second-year student studying Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics through the University of Regina. Modeste has a background and passion for community development as demonstrated by his work with Indigenous youth suicide prevention and homeless populations in northern Saskatchewan. He has been dancing with various square dance groups in Saskatchewan for the last 16 years and has had the pleasure of performing throughout Canada. And last, but certainly not least, Modeste is a father to a 6-year-old daughter named Natalya.

What are you most excited about?

An important component of jigging and square dancing is the people you dance with. I have made great friends and had lots of fun performing through the years, and I intend to keep that tradition going with this event!