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Magdalene Stewart (nee McCann) was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and she started her dancing career at age 10 under the direction of teacher Vourneen O'Connor. During that time she won many awards and was the first dancer from her school to win at the All Ireland. Magdalene toured Ireland with many entertainers including Ruby Murray, Patrick O'Hagan and Eileen Donaghey and danced as far away as Bavaria. During the fundraising for the Bavarian trip Magdalene met the love of her life Edmond Stewart, also from Belfast, and they married and had four children together. Deciding to leave the bombs and bullets behind, the Stewarts immigrated to Canada and settled in Vancouver where Magdalene was urged to teach, so she started the Stewart School of Irish Dance. Magdalene Stewart, TCRG, ADCRG (Registered Teacher and Adjudicator of Irish Dance), founded the Stewart School of Irish Dance in 1974 and launched the first school feis in 1980. The Stewart School of Irish Dance has been in operation for over 30 years and offers classes to students from four years old to adult in four locations throughout the Greater Vancouver area. The Stewart School of Irish Dance hosts an annual feis where dancers from across North America come to compete. With 25 years of hosted feisanna and four classes in the Greater Vancouver area, the school is one of the oldest and largest schools of traditional Irish dance in the Pacific Northwest. Dancers of all ages and ability participate in solo and group dance classes and regularly compete in feisanna and enjoy the fun and friendship that the love of dance brings. Many Stewart School dancers have qualified for and competed at the National and World Championships.
It's not all about classes and competing though. The black, green and pink of the Stewart school are often seen throughout the Lower Mainland at special events, like the annual BC Highland Games and Canada Day celebrations. Stewart dancers also participate in a number of community events whether it be a dance festival, a patriotic parade, St. Patrick's Day dance-outs or simply entertaining in nursing homes and hospitals. The Stewart School of Irish Dance and its dancers are keeping our Irish cultural tradition alive. The Stewart School of Irish Dance feis attracts dancers from Canada's western provinces and the United States Pacific Northwest. The school is always committed to making this a special occasion for all participants. Competitors of all ages will dance to live music provided by world class musicians and be adjudicated by a panel of international judges. Several commemorative trophy dances will be awarded along with the standard trophy and medal competitions. The dancing competition will be front and centre while other dancing and non-dancing competitors offer up their talents in the music, limericks, art and the hotly contested soda bread competition. The Stewart School’s 25th anniversary feis will be held on June 17-19 at the Bonsor Recreation Centre, located at 6550 Bonsor Avenue in Burnaby, B.C. The school is also celebrating by hosting a dinner on June 18 at the Bonsor Recreation Centre. Tickets are $25 each in advance. No tickets will be available at the door. Everyone is invited to join and help the Stewart School celebrate its 25th anniversary feis. There will be amazing competitors dancing throughout the weekend along with a fabulous dinner on the Saturday. For more information on registration, pricing or general enquires about the Stewart School anniversary feis, call Anne Kroeker at (604) 526-6602. You don't want to miss out on this fantastic weekend, so get your tickets soon.
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