Young dancers from Dancemakers Studio here were the only Canadian group to participate in the 13th-annual Minnesota Talent Search in Eden Prairie earlier this month.
A group of 24 girls from Rainy River District, aged nine-18, brought home a number of trophies and awards from the event, where more than 600 dancers from 45 different studios competed.
The local contingent brought home nine first-place awards, including:
•“Mama Mia,” score 95.85, age 11-12, clogging;
•“Dance All NIght,” score 88.90, age 15-16, jazz;
•“Toxic,” score 98.55, age 15-16, duet jazz, Tara Tovey and Sarah Chabot;
•“Selfish,” score 95.80, age 13-14, hip hop duet, Katie Handberg and Sonnie Martin;
•“Walkin’ On,” score 87.40, age 15-16, clogging;
•“Cotton-Eyed Joe,” score 89.70, age 17-19, clogging, Samantha Korzinski;
•“Hey Macarena,” score 85.90, age 15-16, clogging, Sara DeGagne;
•“Studio 54,” score 81.50, age 13-14, hip hop; and
•“Circus Circus,” score 91.10, age nine-10, jazz duet, Jessica Taggart and Marina Jewell.
The “Circus Circus” performance also won fourth place for the Overall Most Entertaining Junior Duet. The “Mama Mia” performance also won the Judges’ Choice Special Award for “Hot Mamas.”
Brittainy Spence won a second-place award for her jazz performance of “10 Days” in the 13-14 age category with a score of 90.20.
In that same category, Jennifer Spence earned third place for her jazz performance of “Heaven” in the same age category with a score of 87.40 while Brittany Martin also won third for her jazz performance of “Pirates of the Caribbean” with a score of 87.50.
Dancemakers also won a fifth-place award for their lyrical performance of “Colourful” in the 15-16 age category with a score of 82.40.
The other girls who performed at the competition were Katie McCaig, Alyssa Vanderaa, Tanna Audette, Megan Kawulia, Elysia Hutikka, Caitlin DeBenetti, Sarah Glover, Laney Chapman, Elizabeth Black, Mirian Botsford, Kellianne Legg, and Kelli Yuill.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
