Dance Academy of Prince Rupert made the right step forward by receiving more than 48 award placements in the 2021 Prince George Dance Festival held from March 20 to 26.
This year’s dance festival had studios competing virtually by sending in videos of those vying for the championships, after the vast disappointment of the 11th-hour pandemic cancellation of the 2020 competition.
The local school was on pointe and brought home seven first-place awards, eight second-place, and five third-place prizes in the solo and duo dance categories. Awards in the group categories saw 14 firsts, 11 seconds, and three third places.
Meghan MacRae dance instructor at the academy said students have been working since September to prepare for the competition and overcame lots of challenges. The new digital format, recycling choreography, costumes, and videos and editing had many new skills being learned.
In-studio dance lessons and practices shut down in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions and left the students victims of an early curtain call by having to find ways to stay practised during the year.
MacRae said teachers taught online from their living rooms for the duration of the lockdown, with some recreational dance camps starting back up during the summer. In-studio time opened up again in Sept. but students still could not attend competitions in person, so sent dances in virtually.
“Spectators could enjoy each performance and adjudication every day of the festival,” MacRae said. “Dancers received a live Zoom adjudication after each solo session.
Being the first year the dance academy has participated in a virtual competition was very different, the instructor said.
“It was different, but it was a positive thing to learn new skills,” she said. “It brought us together to overcome the challenges, and we’re grateful to be able to dance in a safe environment with the dancers being happy to perform.”
See the full list of winners as presented by Dance Academy of Prince Rupert below:
Solos and Duos:
Karlie Fudger – Classical Ballet solo 17 years and Under – 1st
Karlie Fudger – Acro solo 18 years and under – 1st
Karlie Fudger – Lyrical solo 17 years and under – 3rd
Karlie Fudger – Tap solo 18 years and Under – 2nd
Karlie Fudger – Jazz solo 17 years and under – 2nd
Karlie and Laura Fudger – Lyrical duo 18 years and under – 1st
Karlie Fudger and Taylor Jackson – Classical Ballet Duo 18 years and under- 1st
Taylor Jackson – Modern solo 15 years and Under – 1st
Taylor Jackson – En Pointe solo 15 years and Under – 3rd
Taylor Jackson – Jazz solo 15 years and Under – 1st
Taylor Jackson – Contemporary solo 15 years and under – 2nd
Taylor Jackson – Variety solo 15 years and under – 2nd
Taylor Jackson – Lyrical solo 15 years and under – 2nd
Taylor and Kaia Jackson – Jazz duo 18 years and under – 1st
Keira Gurszki – Hip Hop solo 14 years and under – 3rd
Keira Gurszki – Jazz solo 14 years and Under – 3rd
Zoe McCoy – Variety solo 14 years and under – 2nd
Gracie Long and Sydnee Garabed – Tap Duo 14 years and under – 2nd
Mikayla Calder-Carpenter and Taliyah Spencer – Tap Duo 16 years and under – 3rd
Mikarly Calder-Carpenter and Taliyah Spencer – Lyrical Duo 16 years and under – 2nd
Groups:
Unstoppable – Small Lyrical Group 14 years and under – 2nd
The World Is Small – Large Lyrical Group 14 years and under – 1st
To Love You More – Small Lyrical Group 16 years and under – 1st
Boom! Shake the Room – Large Hip Hop Group 10 years and under – 2nd
R’n’B Junkie – Small Hip Hop Group 14 years and under – 1st
Banji – Small Hip Hop Group 14 years and under – 2nd
Nasty – Small Hip Hip Group 16 years and under – 2nd
Wind It Up – Large Acro Group 12 years and under – 1st
Beats Antique – Small Acro Group 18 years and under – 2nd
Connections – Large Modern Group 14 years and under – 2nd
Paradise Lost – Small Modern Group 16 years and under – 1st
Voices – Large Contemporary Ballet Group 14 years and under – 1st
Come Fly With Me – Small Tap Group 10 years and under – 2nd
Some Nights – Small Tap Group 14 years and under – 2nd
Domino – Small Jazz group 8 years and under – 3rd
Break Free – Large Jazz Group 10 years and under – 2nd
Umbrella – Small Jazz Group 14 years and under – 1st
Feel It Still – Small Jazz Group 14 years and under – 3rd
Eat. Sleep. Rave. Repeat. – Large Jazz Group 14 years and under – 1st
Song for Sienna – Large Classical Ballet Group 14 years and under – 2nd
Bluebird – Large Classical Ballet Group 14 years and under – 3rd
The Shoemaker and the Elves – Large Demi Character Group 8 years and under – 1st
Popcorn – Large Demi Character Group 10 years and under – 1st
Follow the Yellow Brick Road – Large Demi Character Group 14 years and under – 3rd
Suits – Small Variety Group 14 years and under – 1st
Purple People Eater – Large Variety Group 12 years and under – 2nd
You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile – Small Song and Dance Group 12 years and under – 1st
Coffee Break – Large Song and Dance Group 14 years and under – 1st
Medley from the Little Mermaid – Video Production 12 years and under – 1st
Trophies:
Karlie Fudger – Acrobatic solo 18 years and under trophy
Karlie Fudger – Classical Ballet Solo 18 years and under trophy
Karlie and Laura Fudger – Lyrical duo 18 years and under trophy
Karlie Fudger and Taylor Jackson – Classic Ballet Duo 18 years and under trophy
Taylor Jackson – Modern Solo 15 years and under trophy
Taylor Jackson – Jazz Solo 15 years and under, The Katrina Schuster Memorial trophy
Taylor and Kaia Jackson – Jazz Duo 18 years and under trophy
Wind It Up – Large Acro Group 12 and under trophy
To Love You More – Large Lyrical Group 18 and Under trophy
Paradise Lost – Small Modern Group 18 years and under trophy
Coffee Break – Large Song and Dance Group 18 years and under trophy
Suits – Small Variety Group 18 years and under trophy
Umbrella – Small Jazz Group 18 years and under trophy
You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile – Small Song and Dance Group 12 years and under trophy
Awards:
Taylor Jackson – Outstanding Modern/Contemporary Performance – 13-18 Years Excalibur Theatre Arts Trophy and Scholarship
Taylor Jackson – Modern Provincial delegate merited participant for Modern
Karlie and Laura Fudger – Outstanding Stage Duo Scholarship Open Age Art In Motion Scholarship
Paradise Lost – Small modern Group – Most Memorable Performance The Kindermann Family Trophy and Scholarship
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K-J Millar | JournalistÂ
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