Members of the Main Street Dance Company, the competitive teams division of Andrea’s School of Dance, performed at regional competitions held recently in Woodbridge, VA, and Coraopolis, PA.
Many of the groups and soloists were awarded the highest honors in several categories.
The Starbound National Talent Competition, created in 1993, is a unique competition that provides an opportunity for dancers throughout the United States to compete for various titles and awards. Starpower, one of the largest talent competitions held in America, features performers from throughout many regions. Bringing home honors from these prestigious competitions were the following Andrea’s School of Dance Main Street Dance Company members:
• Solo Category: Kiera Clapper received a Gold Medal from Starbound and an Elite Gold from Starpower for her performance to Star. A Silver Medal from Starbound, and an Elite Gold Medal from Starpower, was awarded to Tara Baughman for Best I Ever Had.
Brittany Harker was awarded a Silver Medal from Starbound and a Gold Medal from Starpower for Wake Up. Harker also received a Special Award for Excellent Stage Presence and the Special Award for Personality Plus. A Gold Medal from Starbound and an Elite Gold from Starpower was awarded to Haley Noel in her performance of El Shaddai. Tiffany Lantz captured a Gold Medal and Special Award for Graceful Entrance from Starbound and an Elite Gold from Starpower for Who Am I.
A Gold Medal and First Place High Score Award from Starbound was bestowed upon Alicia Varsho for Last Dance. This performance also captured a Platinum Medal from Starpower. Varsho has been invited by Starpower to attend PowerPak, an intensive dance workshop with internationally acclaimed choreographers. The workshop culminates with a performance for Starpower Nationals, featuring some of the best dancers across the nation. Varsho was awarded an additional Gold Medal from Starbound and a Platinum Medal from Starpower for her performance of Shine Your Light.
• Duo Category: Tara Baughman and Kiera Clapper not only received a Gold Medal from Starbound for their performance of Goodbye My Friend, but also were honored with the Special Award for Nice Story Telling. The duo also received an Elite Gold for their performance at Starpower.
• Small Groups Category: Shelly Beeler, Brittany Glasgow, Jill McCartney, and Nicole O’Shea captured a Silver Medal at the Starbound competition for Sun.
Winning the High Silver from Starbound and Gold Medal from Starpower for Accentuate the Positive were Tara Baughman, Kiera Clapper, Haley Noel, Brittany Umstead, and Alicia Varsho. This group was also recognized with the First Place in Category Award.
Performing to The Fury were Janea Baughman, Brittany Harker, Kristen Himes, Andrea Isola, and Chelsea Vincent, winning a High Silver from Starbound and a Gold Medal from Starpower for their efforts.
Awarded a Silver Medal from Starbound and a Gold Medal from Starpower for Slipping Away were Kristen Himes, Haley Noel, Alicia Varsho, and Chelsea Vincent.
• Production Category: A Gold Medal from Starbound and an Elite Gold from Starpower was awarded to Janea Baughman, Tara Baughman, Jessica Beeler, Megan Brobeck, Bailey Campbell, Kaitlyn Cherry, Kiera Clapper, Lauren DelGrosso, Maranda Deremer, Emily Dinges, Kristen Himes, Andrea Isola, Tiffany Lantz, Sarah Leo, Haley Noel, Ashely Turner, Chelsea Turner, Brittany Umstead, Alicia Varsho, Cierra Vincent, Cira Vincent, and Emily Wilson, for their performance of Forever Young. Among the honors given for this performance was a First Place in Category Award.
An all-out performance was delivered for Seussical the Musical, which not only captured the High Gold honor, but scored 292 out of 300 possible points at the Starbound competition. The performers also received at Starpower a Platinum rating, First Place Costume Award, and the prestigious Entertainment Award, which is awarded to only four groups selected out of 820 acts.
Members of this entertaining performance group includes: Nicholas Adams, Janea Baughman, Tara Baughman, Jessica Beeler, Megan Brobeck, Bailey Campbell, Cooper Campbell, Kaitlyn Cherry, Kiera Clapper, Crysta Courtot, Lauren DelGrosso, Maranda Deremer, Emily Dinges, Brittany Harker, Colin Heininger, Kristen Himes, Andrea Isola, Cassondra Kensinger, Courtney Kensinger, Brittany Lantz, Tiffany Lantz, Sarah Leo, Emily Miller, Haley Noel, Ashley Turner, Chelsea Turner, Brittany Umstead, Alicia Varsho, Chelsea Vincent, Cierra Vincent, Cira Vincent, Lynsey Watters, and Megan Worley.
A sample of these award-winning performances will be highlighted at the annual recital slated for June 10 at the Jaffa Shrine, Altoona. Curtain time is 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the studio at 742-8211, and also at the door. Ticket prices are $7 for reserved seating, $6 for general seating, children under 3 are free.
Andrea’s School of Dance will be accepting enrollment for the fall. The school offers classes in Ballet, Tap, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Modern. Instruction is available at all levels from beginners to advance, including a competitive dance company. For more information on this award-winning studio, contact Andrea McGraw, Owner/Artistic Director, at 742-8211.
