UQSUQTUUQ/GJOA HAVEN - Square dancers and jiggers in Gjoa Haven are preparing for a big event this week. The community's second annual Square Dance Competition is scheduled from April 1 to 4.

Proud Amauligak Dancers Elizabeth Anavilok, left, Bill Ikelik, Raymond Quqshuun and Janet Aglukkaq model their distinctive black and white uniforms made for them by Marceline Anguttitauruq and the late Lidwina Porter. -photo courtesy of Charlotte Jacklein

Dancers will gather at the Qiqirtaq School gymnasium at 8:30 p.m. after radio bingo on Thursday and Friday nights and at 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday evenings. A feast is planned for late Sunday afternoon, as well. Local dancers will be joined by a couple of square dance groups from Rankin Inlet and perhaps other dancers from other communities.

"We've had interest from quite a few places all across Nunavut, but details are still being finalized," hamlet recreation co-ordinator Charlotte Jacklein said early last week. "The last dance really brought the community together and was a big success.

We hope a lot of people will come and bring their dancing shoes because it's a lot of fun."

The Gjoa Haven Band, featuring fiddler Enuk Pauloosie, will supply the music. Musicians from other communities have also been invited.

I hope everybody comes and enjoys the weekend and meets different people, sees different dances and has a good time dancing," said Carla Pauloosie.

Pauloosie and fellow dancer Marvin Atkitkok came up with the idea to invite dancers from other communities last year. They helped organize the last successful square dance event last fall.

"We invited some people to come from the Kitikmeot and Kivalik area and we got lucky with Rankin," she said. "A lot of people got interested and came out. I'm hoping it can be an annual event because it's nice to see dancers from different communities because they have all different styles of dances and jigs and different styles of music."

The Amauligak Dancers have been actively organizing for this week's completion in Gjoa Haven.

"They've been working really hard," Jacklein said.

The dancers have been dancing for more than a decade. Many of them joined the group as teenagers, and continue to dance as they raise their own families today. The members run bingos to raise money to help them travel to other communities every couple of years. They also organize games and other events to help bring fun and joy to their community year-round.

"When there's any kind of gatherings here we do performances," said organizer Elizabeth Anavilok. "We're excited about the square dance competition. Everybody is looking forward to it."

Anavilok is thankful for the work that people like Jacklein and Pauloosie are doing to help stage square dancing events in the community. She is also thankful for people who have done a lot work in the community in the past.

"I would like to thank the late Lidwina Porter and my late husband, Allen Anavilok, for helping me through everything with the square dance group," she said.

Musicians and dancers who would like more information about the competition can contact the hamlet office.