Yellowknife’s ballroom dance gala to return next month

A ballroom dance gala first staged in Yellowknife in 1989 is set to return next month, marking its second revival in a decade.

This year’s event takes place from 6pm on February 7 at the Chateau Nova Hotel.

The long-running event was launched by Vicenta Bugg, a ballroom dance instructor originally from the Philippines who moved to the city in 1967. From its launch until 2016, it ran annually, Bugg said.

Bugg started the gala while teaching dance classes through the City of Yellowknife. She said the first event was designed to give her students a chance to perform and to bring professional dancers from southern Canada to the city.

The inaugural 1989 gala was well received by the community, according to Bugg, and a couple from Toronto flew in for the first event to perform and help train locals.

Bugg said early feedback showed audiences especially enjoyed seeing local residents perform, many of whom had no prior dance experience before joining her classes.

From the outset, the gala was structured as a formal evening, with attendees expected to dress in suits, tuxedos and gowns.

Over the years, attendance regularly reached capacity, with crowds of about 250 people at venues like the Explorer Hotel. The event was typically held on the first Saturday of November, a date Bugg said became familiar to regular attendees over time.

Although 2016 was Bugg’s last show, she decided to bring it back in 2018 based on the level of demand.

“This show became very nice because the dance group that I have nurtured became semi-professional people,” she said.

Bugg said the idea for another revival came from a friend who asked whether she would consider bringing the gala back once more.

Following surgery, her doctor advised her to either cancel or postpone the gala. She said she was eventually convinced that people missed the event and decided last year to move ahead with the revival, beginning rehearsals and choreography in February 2025.

Only a small number of dancers are still in Yellowknife, but Bugg said she has continued to focus on training newcomers and encouraging people of all ages to take part.

Tickets for this year’s show are now on sale for $115 per person. Call 867-765-8553 to book.

The evening includes a buffet dinner featuring prime rib and salmon along with a cash bar. The show will feature performances by local dancers followed by professional ballroom dancers from Calgary, who will close the night with a showcase.

“I’m so happy that I brought some joy for dancing in this town,” Bugg said.

“Dancing is my passion. I love to see people know how to dance. My achievement every year here is to see that I was able to develop the form of dance. These people – that never danced in their life – are able to display their talents in the public.”