Medicine Hat was well represented during the first Canada West Performing Arts Festival, with four local talents invited to take part. Ten-year-old Avani Gaekwad was selected by adjudicator Gaye-Lynn Kern (left) for first place in Speech Arts.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
kking@medicinehatnews.com
A young performer from Medicine Hat continues to succeed following her first-place finish at the Canada West Performing Arts Festival.
Ten-year-old Avani Gaekwad has had much to celebrate this year. In March, she took part in Medicine Hat’s annual Rotary Music Festival, participating in three categories: Speech Arts (12 and under), Musical Theatre (ages six to nine) and Contemporary Vocal (12 and under), placing first in two of the three.
She was then recommended to take part in the Alberta Music Festival (held virtually), where she placed first in both Speech Arts and Musical Theatre.
Following such, she joined youth performers from across Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. at the Canada West Festival, winning first place in Speech Arts.
“I was in shock,” Gaekwad told the News. “When (the adjudicator) was calling out the names for places I didn’t think I was going to get it because there were so many good performers.”
Gaekwad says while she was nervous, she enjoyed performing two of her favourite selections – a scene from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ‘A Little Princess’ and a monologue by Stephanie Fairbanks titled ‘The Actress.’
“It was really fun,” said Gaekwad. “I was really nervous (but) there was one adjudicator and there was an adjudicator’s assistant. The adjudicator wrote down some things that we could practise (so) we can grow.”
Gaekwad believes the adjudicator’s advice will help her refine her performances and prepare for next year’s festival season, as well as guidance from her speech teacher Deborah Deans.
A participant in performing arts festivals for the past three-years, Gaekwad’s passion for the arts is obvious. Not only does she enjoy being on stage, she also finds joy in watching fellow performers, especially her friends from Medicine Hat.
Though Gaekwad was the only Hatter to place at the Canada West Festival, three other local, youth artists were also selected to take part; Emma Lavigne, who placed first in Classical Vocals (16 and under) at the 2022 Alberta Provincial Music Festival; Lucas Semrau, first in Musical Theatre Uptempo; and Laec Lorentzen, first in Cello/Double Bass Solo (16 and under).
