2003After many extra practices and even more hard work, the Tyrone Dance Academy competition team traveled to Chartiers Valley School in Pittsburgh to compete in the Rising Star Talent Competition held on Saturday, March 29.
Director of the competition team, Lindsay Folk, and dance instructor, Annie Young, led the girls to win numerous medals, trophies and other awards. It was a memorable experience for everyone involved.
The Tyrone Dance Academy was one of 14 schools involved in 152 acts of competition. Some of the other schools included: Centre Dance from State College, Bellefonte Dance, Studio 22 from Franklin and Dance Explosion.
“The competition is based on a point system, so if you’re the only one in your category, you don’t automatically win. You have to receive a certain point range,” explained Folk of the difficulty of the competition.
There is platinum, gold, silver and bronze medals, and dancers need to receive a certain point range to receive a certain medal.
The members of the Tyrone Dance Academy received many of these awards. Team awards included: jazz two, dancing to “Saturday Night Fever,” first place gold open; jazz three, dancing to “Bring Me to Life,” third place gold jazz; jazz four, dancing to “By the Way,” gold award; ballet seven, dancing to “Mama I’m Coming Home,” second place gold; and ballet six, dancing to “Sail Away,” second place gold.
The solo awards included: Sara Hoover, first place gold ballet and second place overall 12 and under solos; Jill Hiller, first place gold jazz and second place overall, 13 and over solos; Heather Harpster, first place gold lyrical and third place overall 13 and over solos; Jessica Mingle, first place gold jazz and fourth place overall 13 and over solos; Tiffany Williams, second place silver lyrical and fifth place overall 13 and over solos; Kylie Grassmeyer, first place silver open; and Annie Young, first place gold jazz.
Folk is extremely pleased with the hard work and dedication of the dance competition team, and said, “I’m really proud of them because they did a really good job. They worked really hard.”
The Tyrone Dance Academy is preparing for a dance recital coming up in June. Also, the Academy is sponsoring a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts fund raising effort. A sign-up order sheet for the doughnuts can be found weeknights at the front desk of the Tyrone YMCA. The doughnuts are $6 a dozen, and the pick-up date is scheduled for May 6 in the YMCA dance room from 5-8 p.m.
