Mandurah gets in the groove for state-wide dance comp

This year’s 19^th edition gathered more than 50 dance schools from all over the state and will bring 12 days of performances and rehearsals from the youngest two year-old dancers to experienced youth. 

"The kids they just love it and I think the parents do too,” MPAC operations manager Pippa Davis said.

“It brings so many people from all over the state to Mandurah.”

Ms Davis said the event has grown so much over the years that the team has had to rent a truck to store all the props.

“It's huge, and we've even gone to the extent of hiring a truck that backs up to the dock so that we can put all the scenery and all bits in because we just didn't have enough space,” she said.

Local businesses in the dance industry were also encouraged to set up stalls inside the MPAC to promote local products and designs made in Peel. 

The Mandurah Festival of Dance was created in 1998 by two local dance school owners Dianne and Dave Wood, and nowadays it is one of the most important dance festivals in Western Australia.

The event will run until July 16, tickets can be bought at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.

Next year’s event will celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the festival and will include a judge from New York that will travel to Mandurah to judge the performances.