This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
07/29/2017 12:00 AMWestbrook Dance Academy saw several of its teams compete at the Starpower Talent Nationals at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville from July 10 to 14, with several of them coming back home having secured national championships. In a competition that featured 50 studios and more than 1,200 entries, including some divisions with more than 60 entries, Westbrook Dance Academy’s teams scored well and won national championships in multiple group and solo divisions. This competition marked the conclusion of another very successful season for the Westbrook Dance Academy competition teams.
Westbrook Dance Academy’s Irish step team scored five stars for its performance of Warriors and won the national championship in the age 15-19 Small Group Division. The team was also one of only five age 12-and-Up small groups to compete in the Intermediate Battle of The Stars. Irish step team members Victoria Holton and Brandi Andrade are from Westbrook, Mara Kelley is from Old Saybrook, and Caroline Bowe is from Madison.
The senior competition team scored five stars for its musical theater performance Pandemonium, earned five stars for its open routine Salem, and earned four and ¾ stars for the lyrical performance Sweet Dreams--placing third, fifth, and seventh, respectively, in the 15-19 Small Group Division. Pandemonium also received a special award from the judges. Senior competition team members Brandi Andrade and Victoria Holton are from Westbrook; Katherine Izadi, Courtney Briggs, and Mara Kelley are from Old Saybrook; and Miles Waterbury is from Clinton.
The teen competition team scored five stars for its tap performance The Heist and lyrical routine The Game, as well as four and ¾ stars for the jazz performance The Boy Who Lived. Teen competition team members Claire Pease and Kaylene Koelle are from Clinton, Alexandra Lee and Sara Kelly are from Madison, Megan Murphy is from Old Saybrook, and Brooke Dellarocco is from Chester.
The teen intermediate competition team’s dance Youth (lyrical) scored five stars, while Sunday Morning (tap) and Cracks (jazz) both scored four and ¾ stars. Youth won the national championship in the 15-19 Novice Small Group Division, Sunday Morning placed second, and Cracks was third. Teen intermediate competition team members Zoie Murphy and Cori Hofler are from Westbrook, Caroline Bowe is from Madison, and Alixandria Giannini is from Old Saybrook.
The junior competition team scored four and ¾ stars with the tap routine Bell Hop Boogie and jazz routine Wicked Little Girls. Junior competition team members Madison Grady and Gabriella Navarra are from Clinton, Sophia Rutkis is from Westbrook, and Sylvia Sonenstein is from Madison.
The petite competition team scored five stars in its jazz dance Surf’s Up, placing sixth in the 9-11 Novice Small Group Division. Petite competition team members Katherine Barrera, Olivia Hartmann, and Isabella Johnson are from Clinton, Jaidyn Cote and Calla Gilson are from Old Saybrook, and Kylie Sevigny is from Old Lyme.
The mini competition team scored five stars for its jazz routine Single Ladies, placing second overall in the 8-and-Under Novice Duo/Trio Division. Mia Stowik is from Westbrook, Briella Dean is from East Haddam, and Julianna Robinson is from Essex.
In the 15-19 Solo Division, Miles Waterbury earned five stars for his tap solo Singing in the Rain and won the national championship. Brandi Andrade scored five stars for her tap solo Bills, placing seventh. Victoria Holton scored five stars for her tap routine Feeling Good, placing ninth. Katherine Izadi’s lyrical routine Oceans, Andrade’s open routine Alice, and Holton’s musical theater performance Spanish Rose each scored four and ¾ stars. Holton also received a special award for her musical theater routine.
Caroline Bowe and Cori Hofler both scored four and ¾ stars in their lyrical duo War of Hearts and won the national championship in the 15-19 Novice Duo/Trio Division. Bowe also won the 15-19 novice solo national championship with her lyrical solo Kite Song. Giannini placed second with her open routine Isle of Flightless Birds. They each scored four and ¾ stars with these performances.
Brooke Dellarocco scored five stars with a vocal performance of Don’t Rain on My Parade, winning the national championship in the 12-and-Up Vocal Division. In the 12-and-Up Photo Division, Brandi Andrade placed third.
For the 12-14 Solo Division, Claire Pease’s lyrical performance Defying Gravity and Brooke Dellarocco’s jazz routine Let me Entertain You both scored five stars. Mara Kelley’s routines Count on Me (lyrical) and Shine (tap), as well as Kaylene Koelle’s tap routine Hamlet and Alexandra Lee’s lyrical routine For Everything a Reason, each scored four and ¾ stars.
In the 9-11 Solo division, Sylvia Sonenstein scored five stars with her musical theater solo My New Philosophy and placed third overall. Gabriella Navarra’s tap performance My Strongest Suit and Madison Grady’s jazz performance Evil Gal Blues each scored four and ¾ stars with Navarra also receiving a special award. Jaidyn Cote scored four and ¾ stars for her jazz solo Better When I’m Dancing in the 9-11 Novice Division.
Westbrook Dance Academy offers programs for those aged two to adult at the beginner, advanced, recreational, and competition levels. For info or to register for summer or fall classes, contact 860-664-4308 or westbrookdanceac@aol.com, or visit www.westbrookdanceacademy.com.