Cam Bay will host dance party
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Cambridge Bay (Feb 19/01) - Cambridge Bay has much fun coming up. The hamlet is preparing to turn the community hall into a MuchMusic video dance extravaganza.
"Two professional veejays, two screens 14 by 10 feet tall, strobe lights, and smoke. The whole shooting match," says Sean Patterson, of Kitikmeot Employment and Training Partners who is helping to co-ordinate the community event.
The whole community is getting into the spirit. The schools are even talking about planning their parent/teacher conferences for the Friday morning after the dance so the kids can sleep in.
"You ask any kid on the street and they know MuchMusic," says Patterson.
"The word's out on the street and they're pretty excited. I think once we start putting up the posters, it will really hit home."
Patterson says the dance will be great for the kids.
"There's not enough things for kids to do here. They only see this sort of stuff on TV, but to actually see a staged presentation like this..."
It also sounds like the people in the community aren't the only ones to experience thrills.
"MuchMusic was telling me that they've never been this far North before."
Last June, a crew hosted a highly successful MuchMusic video dance in Arviat.
After their Cambridge Bay dance, the crew heads west to Yellowknife, just on time for the city's Caribou Carnival.
Patterson expects that it won't only be the teen-aged of Cam Bay that'll be groovin' on the dance floor.
"My nephew, he's two-and-a-half-years-old, and he's got four older sisters. The little guy's become a real music freak. He listens to CDs and he sings. He's even got his own favourite groups. When they come here with their big screens, these kids are going to be overwhelmed. This place'll be rocking."
The adults of the community also plan to attend.
"I'll be there," says Patterson. "I'm sure the teachers, the parents too, will be there. The mayor says he'll be there. The elders will probably want to go too."
MuchMusic, as well as sponsor First Air, will be giving away prizes throughout the evening of the dance.
Patterson says that this type of event is fantastic for the community and he's grateful to the Northern airline.
"First Air offered this to us. They didn't have to. We're talking a significant contribution. To bring up MuchMusic without their assistance would be impossible."
The airline will fly the crew and all their equipment to the hamlet.
The local Kitikmeot Inuit Association and the hamlet shared the MuchMusic fee.
"A lot of organisations in town are kicking in things for free, like the hotels, meals and accommodations. The hamlet will waive the fee for the community hall. The local youth group is a partner too."
