Printer Friendly Version - Westbrook Dance Academy Heading to World Championship for Fifth-Straight Year

The Westbrook Dance Academy Senior team of Alix Giannini (Old Saybrook), Megan Murphy (Old Saybrook), Cori Hofler (Westbrook), Kaylene Koelle (Clinton), Mara Kelley (Old Saybrook), Brooke Dellarocco (Chester), and Zoie Murphy (Westbrook) earned a spot to compete at the World Dance Championship in Secaucus New Jersey. Photo courtesy of Westbrook Dance Academy

The Westbrook Dance Academy (WDA) competition teams recently concluded another successful season that saw numerous squads earn bids to compete at the World Dance Championship. This marks the fifth-straight year that WDA has qualified teams to compete at the World Dance Championship, which will take place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey in from Tuesday, July 30 through Sunday, Aug. 4. WDA will compete against dancers from the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, China, and Great Britain at the championship.

Last year, WDA’s Senior, Teen, and Large Group tap teams competed at the World Dance Championship, where the Senior team won the Outstanding Performance Award in its division. In 2017, the Senior competition team finished in fourth place. In 2015, the Senior team finished third at the meet.

This year, WDA’s Senior competition team qualified for the World Championship with all three of their dances: The Addams Family, In The Air Tonight, and Survivor. The Junior team’s dance Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the Mini team’s dance Born To Be Wild, and Futures team’s dance Frozen Baby also qualified during the season. The teams and soloists also garnered numerous overall championships, high-score awards, special awards, and awards for choreography and entertainment.

WDA’s Senior competition team members are Mara Kelley, Megan Murphy, and Alixandria Giannini from Old Saybrook, Zoie Murphy and Cori Hofler of Westbrook, and Brooke Dellarocco from Chester.

The Junior competition team members include Isabella Johnson, Olivia Hartmann, Gabriella Navarra, and Madison Grady from Clinton, Tess Santarsiero, Jaidyn Cote, and Calla Gilson from Old Saybrook, Sylvia Sonenstein from Madison, and Gabrielle Walker of Westbrook.

The WDA Mini team members are Alexa Cardello, Sofia Taylor, Kylee Pascale, and Cassandra Garcia from Old Saybrook, Mia Stowik and Sophie Furcolo from Westbrook, Briella Dean from East Haddam, and Julianna Robinson of Essex.

The Futures team members are Layla Dwyer, Audrey Bragg, and Aubrey Meyer of Clinton, Delaney Keefe from Westbrook, and Delilah Calle of Old Saybrook.

WDA offers dance programs for people of all ages and ability levels in a wide variety of genres. For info, contact 860-664-4308 or westbrookdanceac@aol.com or visit westbrookdanceacademy.com

Westbrook Dance Academy’s Junior team will go to the World Dance Championship to perform their routine of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road next month. Pictured are (standing) Isabella Johnson (Clinton), Calla Gilson (Old Saybrook), Sylvia Sonenstein (Madison), Gabrielle Walker (Westbrook), Madison Grady (Clinton), Olivia Hartmann (Clinton), Tess Santarsiero (Old Saybrook), Jaidyn Cote (Old Saybrook), and (being lifted) Gabriella Navarra (Clinton). Photo courtesy of Westbrook Dance Academy

The Westbrook Dance Academy Mini team featuring (back) Kylee Pascale (Old Saybrook), Sophie Furcolo (Westbrook), Julianna Robinson (Essex); (middle) Briella Dean (East Haddam) and Sofia Taylor (Old Saybrook); (front) Mia Stowik (Westbrook), Alexa Cardello (Old Saybrook), and Cassandra Garcia (Old Saybrook) will perform Born to Be Wild at the World Dance Championships that are being held from Tuesday, July 30 through Sunday, Aug. 4. Photo courtesy of Westbrook Dance Academy