In the spotlight

Andrea Roberts
Times Intern

 

One of the highlights of the Calgary Stampede is the Young Canadians performance at the TransAlta Grandstand show. And this year, one of Strathmore’s own will be on the stage performing in front of about 20,000 people every night of the Stampede.
Ten-year-old Lane Habing will show off her talents while singing and dancing alongside 38 other performers under the age of 11.
“I am pretty proud of her,” said Becky Habing, Lane’s mother. “She works really hard at everything she does, and it is amazing to watch her on stage and for her to put her best foot forward.”
Habing has been dancing since she was three years old and enjoys performing. She has been part of Expressions the Dance Gallery, where she has done most of her training. She has also been part of the Alberta Dance Theatre for the past three seasons.
Habing auditioned with the Young Canadians in January of this year. She will be on stage with the other Junior Young Canadians for about 10 minutes of the 90 minute show, and will also be part of the show’s finale.
She and her mother have spent a lot of time preparing for the show with Habing practicing two days, then three days a week, and since June 24, practicing every evening.
Preparation also included a pre-recording of the show at a recording studio to ensure the best audio during the night. But the live show still features the performer’s live voices, and they will still have to sing on the stage.
Habing is excited for the night and was glad to have been picked.
“It is awesome,” she said. “I am a little bit nervous [for the show].”
She has already made a number of friends in the Young Canadians but isn’t sure whether she would like to become a famous dancer just yet as she still has a lot of time to decide what she wants to do as she grows up.
The TranAlta Grandstand Show will start July 8 and will run until July 17, each night after the chuckwagon races.