Inaugural Victory Ball a resounding success that moved everyone to tears

All photos by Nirmal Shah, Studio 621 Films
All photos by Nirmal Shah, Studio 621 Films

THE first ever Victory Ball, held on May 25 at the Royal King Palace in Surrey, was a huge success. Besides raising funds to expand the Victory dance as therapy and dance for good programs for people of all abilities across the Lower Mainland, the evening was packed with awe-inspiring performances that moved the audience to tears.

Hosted by Shiamak’s Victory Arts Foundation, the ballroom was filled with over 500 guests, performers, volunteers, donors and some prominent members of the community. The evening began with a high energy ‘swag’ welcome by the Victory dancers from North Shore ConneXions Society supported by the Shiamak Vancouver Dance Team. The performance earned a standing ovation. It was followed by a performance by the Victory dancers from Down Syndrome Research Foundation and a Para Taekwondo demonstration by Sirota’s Alchymy Martial Arts Group.

National Rhythmic Gymnastics medalist and Victory dancer Danielle Juilfs performed a beautiful contemporary duo with Akash Deo of Shiamak Vancouver to Vishal Patel’s soulful piano rendition of the Bollywood hit song Tum Hi Ho.

However, the highlight of the evening was a breathtaking fashion segment showcasing the RaasLeela collection by renowned Vancouver-based duo Parvesh Jai. The stunning outfits were modeled by Vancouver’s top models, but the showstoppers were the Victory dancers themselves as they walked onto stage with some of Vancouver’s prominent celebrities including immigration consultant Neera Agnihotri, Spice Radio’s RJ Gaurav Shah, fashion icon Kanika Sasan and Kerry Gibson – President of EcoCentury Technologies. Emotions were high as designer Jai Singh escorted the final showstopper, Victory dancer Jessica Makowsky, down the runway. The audience was moved to tears and rose to give them another standing ovation.

Hosts Ronil Desai and Safeeya Pirani conducted a talk show with Jennifer Stevens, Rosemary Ramsay, and Susan Juilfs, parents of Victory dancers Gallagher Stevens, Nicholas Mascott and Danielle Juilfs – who have been students with the foundation for many years.

The second entertainment segment saw almost an hour of stunning Bollywood performances by the Siamak Vancouver Dance Team led by their star performer Rohan D’Silva, after which the guests danced the night away.

For more information about The Victory Ball and Shiamak’s Victory Arts Foundation, contact Suragini Ravindran at (604) 618-7861 or victorycanada@shiamak.com.