Printer Friendly Version - Astra Studio Shines Bright at Starbound Talent Competition

Several students from Astra Studio of Dance and Performing Arts earned various honors for their performances at the Starbound Talent Competition at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10. Pictured are Vivi Heiser (Chester), Emma Elgart (Old Saybrook), Victoria Le (Clinton), Callie Andrews.(Clinton), Jillian Pernal (Old Saybrook), Emma Golembeski (Gales Ferry), Sadie Heiser (Chester), and Elleyana Barbieri (Old Saybrook). Photo courtesy of Sue Barbieri

On Feb. 9 and 10, students from Astra Studio of Dance and Performing Arts in Old Saybrook attended the Starbound Talent Competition that took place at Western Connecticut State University. Astra’s students competed alongside dancers from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the greater New York area at the event.

Astra’s students earned three elite golds, which is the highest adjudicated award at the Starbound competition, as well as seven high golds and one gold. Four routines placed in the top 10 of their respective divisions. Several students also performed solo routines at the Access Broadway event in Mystic in January.

The acro company of Elleyana Barbieri of Old Saybrook, Emma Golembeski from Gales Ferry, Sadie Heiser of Chester, Victoria Le from Clinton, and Jillian Pernal of Old Saybrook performed an open routine in Starbound’s Junior Competitive Groups Division. The group scored an elite gold and placed fourth in the division.

The lyrical jazz company of Callie Andrews (Clinton), Barbieri, Emma Elgart (Old Saybrook), Golembeski, Sadie Heiser, Vivi Heiser (Chester), Le, and Pernal performed two routines. The lyrical routine scored a gold and the jazz routine earned a high gold. Andrews, Barbieri, Golembeski Sadie Heiser, Vivi Heiser, Le, and Pernal also brought home a high gold as members of the tap company.

As a first-year soloist, Barbieri performed an open routine in the Junior Petite Competitive Division and earned an elite gold by placing fifth in the division. Barbieri first performed the routine in at the Access Broadway event in Mystic, where she scored a high gold, placed third in the division, and earned first in the category.

Golembeski performed a musical theatre number as a soloist in Starbound’s Junior Pre-Teen Competitive Division. She took home an elite gold, placed fifth in her division, and was invited to perform in the Starbound Nationals opening number at Foxwoods Resort Casino in June.

First time soloist Heiser performed a lyrical routine in the Junior Pre-Teen Competitive Division. She scored a high gold, placed ninth in the division, and was also invited to perform in the Starbound Nationals opening number at Foxwoods in June.

Soloist Pernal performed an open routine in Starbound’s Teen Competitive Division, earning high gold. Pernal also earned a high gold for the routine at the Access Broadway event in January. First-year soloist Le also performed an open routine in Starbound’s Teen Competitive Division, scoring a high gold. She first performed the routine at Access Broadway in January, where she earned a gold.

Soloist Andrews performed two routines in the Senior Competitive Division with one lyrical routine and one tap routine. Andrews won high gold awards for each routine after having earned gold for both routines at Access Broadway.

Astra Studio of Dance and Performing Arts, located at 210 Main Street in Old Saybrook, is under the direction of Brittany Wigglesworth. For info, contact 860-304-4314 or info@astrastudioct.com.