Four young Richmond dancers recently came out on top in a regional dance competition.
The dancers, Linda Nyberg, Margarette Bernal, Gabby Medweth and Agatha Chiu, excelled at the Evolve Dance Competition regionals at Burnaby earlier this month. They also qualified for the upcoming provincials in June 2023.
Nyberg came first in the 15 to 16-year-old category with a lyrical solo showcasing her bravery and strength, while Bernal received the highest score in the 17 to 18-year-old category for her modern solo portraying a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Bernal’s solo, titled “Beyond My Wildest Dreams,” represented her artistic capabilities and looks beyond the physical confines of dance movement.
“I am proud to have achieved such an accomplishment with a genre of dance like modern that requires maintaining techniques that pay homage to modern pioneers while conveying a story of my own,” she said.
Bernal and Medweth, who had danced together for more than a decade, were the second-highest-scoring duo in the 13 to 18-year-old category. Bernal also came in third with Chiu in the 13 to 18-year-old category in tap.
“Having the opportunity to represent who I am as an artist and receive recognition for my hard work has been a notable start to my final competition season,” said Bernal, who added her appreciation for choreographer Carolyn Schmidt, her teachers and loved ones.
All four trained at Richmond’s Defy Gravity Dance Company, led by studio director Rishell O’Brien.
“I am proud of the hard work and dedication it took to prepare them mentally, physically and emotionally to be able to perform with technical excellence and authentic artistry,” said O’Brien.
“These dancers are the definition of consistency and it shows in their awards.”
O’Brien added that the four dancers have shown “beautiful leadership” in the dance community by mentoring young dancers and helping raise almost $40,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. The dancers have also been balancing professional-level training with their schoolwork.
“They are truly inspirational,” she said.
