J.P. Antonacci
Brant News

For over 60 years, the Brant Skating Club has given its young members the chance to shine at its annual skating showcase, Flashing Blades.

On Saturday, an appreciative crowd at the Brantford and District Civic Centre took in the 62nd edition of the show, which featured solo and group ice dancing by the club’s preschoolers, juniors and seasoned pros.

“Within the community, Flashing Blades and the Brant Skating Club are well known for this special showcase of local talent,” Brant Skating Club president Sandra Larose said in her president’s message. “We are excited to conclude this busy season with the opportunity for our skaters to share with family, friends and their local community the skills they have learned and built upon throughout this season.”

The junior skaters’ sparkling footwear was outshone only by their smiling faces as they opened the show with a series of vignettes from children’s classics including Dr. Seuss, Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh and Mother Goose, along with modern favourites Harry Potter and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Helped on ice by their coaches and sporting creative costumes, the preschoolers performed well in the spotlight, with their group numbers interspersed with solo performances from several confident juniors.

After intermission, the club’s senior skaters introduced the audience to the strange and wonderful characters in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical Cats. Through spot-on costumes and cat-like choreography, the skaters looked and acted the part of the felines who populate the enduringly popular show.

To give young skaters something to aspire to, Flashing Blades also featured impressive performances from guest dance pair Olga Lioudvinevitch and Benjamin Mulder, as well as last year’s national junior pairs champions, Katherine Bobak and Ian Beharry, all from the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club.

One of this season’s highlights for the Brant Skating Club was a gold medal won by the club’s adult synchronized skating team in January at the Synchro Capers competition in Newmarket.