Tonight is one of the city's most anticipated parties of the year.
Menagerie is the Two Rivers Gallery annual Halloween blast, and this year the theme is Adrift In Space. This year marks the eighth edition of the masquerade fundraiser.
"This event is much more than a costume party for adults," said a statement from the party planning team at the gallery. "There will be live entertainment, exhilarating games, and excellent prizes to be won. A selection of cocktails, wine and Crossroads Brewing beer will be available in the Starchaser Saloon. Appetizers can be devoured throughout the night while you bid against friends and foes in the silent auction for a chance to win marvelous treasures.
"Tempt fate with a visit to the fortune tellers, who will consult the cosmos and divine the answers to your most pressing questions. Sample spirits from our specialty bar and dance the night away amidst the stars and planets to the musical stylings of our DJ."
One of the features this year is the way hoop dancer Kassandra Mae drifts through the space of her dazzling circles. The Prince George performer is one of the few in the region to specialize in this unique form of artistry.
"I first started hoop dancing after I witnessed a performer at ArtsWells festival in 2012, I believe," she told The Citizen the day before the big night.
"I was immediately in awe of her skill, which inspired me to learn myself."
The hoops she uses are often a spectacle unto themselves, the music is ethereal, and her gymnastic control makes for a unique multi-sensory experience for the audience.
"When I first started I spent at least an hour everyday learning how to control the hoop 'on-body', ie: around the waist, around the legs, and being able to fluidly move the hoop on body. My partner actually taught me my first trick called the Vortex. Afterwards I took to YouTube and Instagram to find tutorials and other hula hoopers around North America for inspiration.
Babz Robinson and Deanne Love were a few of my first inspirations who have great tutorials on YouTube. This past summer I went to a hoop retreat called Flow In The Forest where I got to meet some of the leading performers and instructors in North America who i would say in that short amount of time mentored me quite well."
Mae comes full circle tonight at Menagerie: Adrift In Space which runs "from 8 'til late" at the downtown arts centre. Tickets are $65 regular or $40 for students available online via links at the Two Rivers Gallery website and Facebook page.
