For the past six weeks, Nova Scotia’s top doctor has been swapping his stethoscope for dancing shoes. “I’m certainly not a dancer. I absolutely have two left feet. But I know it’s a good cause and it’s just a fun event. It’s not a competition or anything,” says Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer. The jazz routine he’s been rehearsing is for a fundraiser being organized by Hospice Cape Breton, to help raise awareness about palliative care. “It’s an area that doesn’t get as much attention and focus as it should…so when this opportunity came about, it just seemed to make sense and it’s a really good cause,” he says. Though he admits the opportunity seemed daunting at first, especially as someone with no dancing experience, Lindsay Fraser-McPherson, the owner of Elle Dance Academy in Halifax, says that’s what made him the perfect candidate. “It was really exciting and (it’s) just a cool chance to bring someone from the community into our studio space. Lots of dancers were asking who the special guest was coming in for rehearsal, and he told me he had two left feet, and he’s proven to be a very good learner. So, I’m pretty excited,” she says. The pair will head to Sydney, N.S., next week to perform their routine in front of a live audience. “We’ve also added in a special surprise at the end that will keep the audience on their toes and get them really excited as a special tribute to the Cape Breton dance community,” says Fraser-McPherson. “(It’s) just more of an appreciation for how dance is and how hard dance can be. It’s a real talent and skill,” says Dr. Strang. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
