Dance To The Beat Competition Team traveled over three hours to Elmira, NY this past weekend to compete in their first competition of the 2024 season. They came home with many victories.
Saturday morning the minis took the stage. This was their first competition ever. A jazz dance containing Sterling Fox, Gracie Benedict, Sawyer Martin, Frankie Goodwill, Harper Nichols, Scarlette Brown, Lydia Boucher, Teagan Wallace, Ellie Halfast, Bailey Griswold, and Leah Jackson won a special judges award “Cutie Pies,” as well as another special judges award “Lovely,” and 3rd place overall (tie with 2nd place). A tap group containing Sterling Fox, Gracie Benedict, Sawyer Martin, Frankie Goodwill, Harper Nichols, Scarlette Brown, Ellie Halfast, and Bailey Griswold placed 4th overall.
Next competing were the teen solos. Mackenzie Ricketts placed 5th overall in Rising Challenger level (level one), and Sarah Whiteley placed 4th in this level. Sarah Whiteley won Title winner as well. In Challenger level (level two), Evelyn Beckman placed 10th overall, Finley Mitchell placed 8th, Kenzie Knight placed 4th, Audrey Baker placed 2nd and Lily Amy took home 1st place overall. Audrey Baker won 1st runner up for Title winner and Lily Amy won Title winner for teen level two soloist. This was scored separately from their overall scores.
A teen jazz small group in level one competed next containing Evelyn Beckman, Mackenzie Ricketts, Finley Mitchell, Mikayla Jackson, Cadence Miller, Taylor Sproveri, and Halle Beach. They placed 4th overall in their age division/level. A teen lyrical large group that was made up of Jonas Anthony, Willow Bowen, Kenzie Knight, Audrey Baker, Izzy Kellogg, Evelyn Beckman, Mackenzie Ricketts, Finley Mitchell, Mikayla Jackson, Cadence Miller, Taylor Sproveri, and Halle Beach competed next. They took home 1st place overall.
Saturday evening the senior age division dancers competed. Willow Bowen, Jonas Anthony, and Izzy Kellogg competed in High Challenger level (level three). Willow Bowen placed 2nd overall, while Jonas Anthony secured 1st place. Since the Title winner is scored differently, Jonas Anthony got 1st runner up and Willow Bowen won Title for senior level three soloist. Halle Beach competed and won 1st place overall in her age division and level one. Izzy Kellogg and Tenley Murphy competed in a lyrical duet which placed 1st place overall.
Sunday morning Audrey Baker, Kenzie Knight, this reporter, Willow Bowen, Jonas Anthony and Izzy Kellogg performed a jazz dance in the senior age division in level three. They received 1st place overall, Spotlight Dance award (only given to two dances), $100 certificate with an invitation to Nationals, as well as receiving an award for the most entertaining dance the entire weekend (any level and any age division).
Level one junior soloists danced amazingly. Charlotte Goodwill placed 9th overall, Layla Mosher placed 7th, Avery McCray scored 4th overall, Camilla Whiteley placed 2nd and Tenley Murphy got 1st place overall. Camilla Whiteley received 1st runner up Title soloist and Tenley Murphy won level one Title soloist. A few dancers competed in level two junior solos. Taylor Sproveri placed 6th, Mikayla Jackson placed 5th overall, and Rylyn Gurdak placed 2nd overall. Camilla Whiteley got 1st runner up for Title winner and Rylyn Gurdak was the level two junior soloist Title winner. Tori Yoder and Amarah Jordan had a hip-hop duet which got a “Stand out star” judges award and placed 2nd overall in level two junior duets.
These same dancers all competed in multiple small/large group dances. A jazz routine with Avery McCray, Madison Damcott, Elise Boucher, Tenley Murphy, Camilla Whiteley, and Rylyn Gurdak placed 6th overall. A tap routine containing Monique Johnson, Lily Amy, Rylyn Gurdak, Taylor Sproveri, Layla Mosher and Avery McCray placed 5th overall. A lyrical dance with Lily Amy, Amarah Jordan, Tori Yoder, Monique Johnson, Sarah Whiteley, Layla Mosher and Charlotte Goodwill got 4th overall. A hip-hop dance with Taylor Sproveri, Avery McCray, Rylyn Gurdak, Amarah Jordan, Tori Yoder, Monique Johnson, Sarah Whiteley, Layla Mosher and Charlotte Goodwill got 3rd overall. Avery McCray, Madison Damcott, Elise Boucher, Tenley Murphy, Camilla Whiteley, and Rylyn Gurdak’s lyrical dance got 2nd overall. Lily Amy, Amarah Jordan, Tori Yoder, Monique Johnson, Sarah Whiteley, Layla Mosher and Charlotte Goodwill did a jazz dance which got 1st place overall. This routine also got a special judges award for teamwork.
At the final award ceremony of the weekend was when the senior division level three dancers received their entertainment award, and the DTTB studio was awarded the “Best Visionary” studio award.
The dancers and choreographers (Alex Fox, Kate Reed, Val Yoder) are all proud of everyone’s performances and placements. This weekend they will travel to Pittsburgh, PA, to compete in their second competition of the season with Nexstar Competition. The teen small group dancers are last year’s Nexstar Regional Champions, and the senior division dancers are last year’s reigning Nexstar National Champions, so hopefully they and the entire studio prove their worthiness of these titles.
