A Brockville, Ont., teenager recently made waves at a national song and dance competition in Vancouver, the Summit Dance Challenge, but her journey to success wasn’t without its challenges.
Mara Shannon, a performative artist known for her comedic style, faced an unexpected obstacle just moments before her award-winning performance.
Mara had a panic attack after a scheduling mix-up left her arriving late for her performance. In need of reassurance, she reached out to her vocal coach, Kelli Gautreau, who was three time zones away on the East Coast.
“I was in bed and I happened to just open my phone at the same time that it came through and it was coming through FaceTime. I thought, ‘That’s odd. Why is Mara’s mom calling me?'” Gautreau said.
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Despite poor phone service, Gautreau’s encouraging words helped Mara calm down and prepare for the stage.
“We’re calling Kelli and we’re like, in a basement. So the service is horrible. And she’s like, ‘You can do this, Mara. Like, you got this, you got this, you got this.’ And then she got cut,” Mara recounted.
The brief but supportive conversation provided the boost Mara needed. Gautreau stayed on the line during Mara’s performance, listening as the audience responded positively.
“She crushed it. I could hear the audience laughing through the phone, through the crackling phone. And her mom just said, ‘She did it. She did it.’ I went, yes, as a teacher, that’s why I teach,” Gautreau said.
Mara’s performance earned her third place as she became the first member of Brockville’s Broadway Dance Studio to compete at a national level.