Jacksonville Dance Company Dancers competed this weekend at the NexStar Dance Competition held at the Little Rock State House Convention Center. This was the first time that JDC competed with NexStar or at the State House. The competition was a bit more casual than when held at Robinson Auditorium or Hot Springs Convention Center, and dancers and audience alike seemed to enjoy the competition.
The dancers of Jacksonville Dance Company competed in eleven group dances. Three solos and a duet were also competed by JDC dancers. The performances were tap, jazz, pom, hiphop and lyrical. A large number of the performances ran very close together on Sunday, with not a lot of time to change costumes, so current pictures are not available for all of the performances. Each of our performances looked even better than at the last competition.
The competition began Saturday morning with younger dancers competing solos, duets and trios and ended Sunday evening with solo performances by older dancers.
The Competition was broken down into three levels according to years of dancing and competing – Just for Kicks Level, NewStar Level, and NexStar Level. Group performances were broken down by size of group—small, large, and line and then further by age. Awards ranged from Honorable Mention, Bronze, High Bronze, Silver, High Silver, Gold, High Gold, and Platinum. As the awards were announced by medal placement, the performance with the highest score of the dance genre and same age were awarded First-Place Trophies. After all adjudicated score announcements were made, two special awards, decided by each of the three judges were announced. In addition to the performance awards, various awards were also given for costumes, choreography, photogenic, and special NexStar Titles. The culmination of each competition session was the awarding of the Top Ten or Top Five Performances, determined by scores.
The group performances began Saturday at 1:00 and were kicked off by the performance of the JDC Hiphop dancers to “Shake.” The dancers, average ages nine to eleven, won a High Gold and First Place Trophy and additionally one of the special awards by the judges – the “Cover Girls” award. Additionally, the “Shake” dancers won Fourth High score out of the Top High-Scoring Five Performances, Large group, ages nine to eleven, in the NexStar Division -- even though seven of the fifteen performers were new to competition this year. (All of JDC performances were entered in NexStar division even though this was first year for some of our dancers.) Ages are averaged to determine the performance age of the dancers. Instructor for these dancers is Lois Bryan.
Performing to "Shake" are Hiphop Dancers (front row, left to right) Bailea Jones, Micah Perry and Hannah Taylor. Second row, left to right, are Terra Johnson, Tessa Johnson, Amber Bajorek, Madi Spears, Kendra Lytch and Lauren Travis. Back row are Courtney Ellis, Niki Rodgers, Mackenzie Blanchard, Lauren Anderson, Paris Fonseca and Taylor Mays.
Performing next for JDC were the Pom Dancers, average age ten, to “Hey Little Momma.” These dancers also won a High Gold and First-Place Trophy. Instructor for these happy dancers is Kim Holladay.
Performing Pom to "Hey Little Momma" dancers, left to right, front row, are Kira Jinkins,
Tegan Rea, Amber Bajorek, Heather Weth, and Lauren Travis. Back row are Maurie Gangluff, Micah Perry, Elizabeth Clark, Kaitlynn Coleman, Niki Rodgers, Alexandria Adams and Mackenzie Blanchard.
JDC dancers, average ages ten, performed to “Five, Six, Seven, Eight” and won a High Gold and First Place Trophy and won Second out of Top Four High Score Performances. Instructor for this group is Kim Holladay.
These tappers, who performed "Five-Six-Seven-Eight," front row, left to right, are Amber Bajorek, Kira Jinkins, Micah Perry and Alexandria Leirer. Back row are Heather Weth, Maurie Gangluff, Taylor Mays, Lauren Boatman and Kaitlynn Coleman.
Last group performance on Saturday was the young Hiphop Small Group, who performed to “Hand Clap.” These dancers were Gold-Medal performers and are taught by Sara Rettstatt.
These youngest hiphop dancers have a great time performing to "Hand Clap." They show so much "attitude" in their dance and I wanted them to smile this time. Note next pictures what they really like to show us.
Front row are Mackenzie Ellis, Mattie Taylor, and Tegan Rea. Back row are Emily Snell, Katie Turner, Michael York, Regan Campbell and Alexandria Leirer.
Saturday night, JDC Kaitlin Soderlund, age twelve, performed a tap solo to “Three, Six, Nine” and won a Gold Medal and First-Place Trophy. Instructor for Kaitlin for her tap is Sara Rettstatt.
Even later Saturday night, Tori Hanley and Tori Spears, age thirteen, performed a lyrical duet to “Black Velvet.” They won a Gold Medal for their performance. Instructor for the duet is Lois Bryan.
Awards for the solos and duet-trios were at 10:15 Saturday night. Competition on Sunday morning began at 8:00 (which meant the dancers had to be there an hour earlier, which was difficult for those of us who were there until almost 11:00 Saturday night.)
The first groups of JDC dancers performed Sunday in the Small Group-Age Twelve and Up Division.
Group performances for JDC began at 8:20 with the Senior Hiphop dancers--average age seventeen--performing to “Tambourine.” The dancers won a Gold Medal. Instructor for the dancers is Chris Williams.
Shown here, the Senior Hiphop Dancers who performed to "Tambourine" (left to right) are Madison Hurley, Emiley Bee, Ashley McCutcheon, Taylor Canfield and Hannah Ellis.
JDC dancers, average age thirteen, performed jazz to “Let’s Get Loud” and won a Gold Medal and First-Place Trophy. Lois Bryan instructs these dancers.
Shown here in their Jazz pose from their dance "Let's Get Started" from left to right are Joi Smith, Jennifer McDonough, Madison Winstead, Jessica Holeman, Niki Rodgers and Kaitlin Soderlund.
Dancing soon after were JDC dancers, average age thirteen, who performed lyrical to “Three A. M.” and won a Gold Medal and First-Place Trophy. This photo was taken before an earlier competition. These lyrical dancers are instructed by Lois Bryan.
Pictured here front row, left to right are Tori Spears, Tori Hanley and Briyana Isaac. Standing left to right, are Madison Winstead, Amanda Cross and Jessica Holeman.
JDC dancers--average age twelve--performed tap to “Dancin’ Fool” and won a Gold Medal.
Ladies, you did a terrific job. These dancers are instructed by Sara Rettstatt.
The tap dancers are shown here at a prior competition. From left to right are Briyana Isaac, Kaitlin Soderlund and Hannah Moler. Back row (l to r) are Jessica Holeman, Kassie Shepard and Bailey Jo Rhodes.
The next performance for JDC dancers was in Large Group, average age twelve to fourteen. The dancers performed Hiphop to “Wait A Minute” and won a Gold Medal. The dancers are instructed by Lois Bryan.
These hiphop dancers, who outdid themselves with their performance, (shown here at previous competition), front row, left to right, are Stephanie Singleton, Stephanie York, Madison Winstead, and Jessica McCauley. Second row--left to right--are Tori Hanley, Taylor Rai' Johnson, Tori Spears, Cassidy Eberle and Kaitlin Soderlund. Third row, left to right) are Kayla Vasquez, Amanda Cross, Jessica Holeman, Jennifer McDonough and Joi Smith. This group is a great example of friendships formed through dance.
The JDC large group lyrical dancers, average age twelve, performed a beautiful dance to “Never Alone,” which brought tears to some of the audience members. Lois Bryan instructs this large lyrical group.
Two of the dancers are not shown here. They were Amanda Hicks and Madison Winstead. (I apologize to the dancers because this was my fault.) Shown from left to right are Niki Rodgers, Briyana Isaac, Jessica Holeman, Jessica McDonough, Amanda Cross, Tori Hanley, Jordan Rogers, Tori Hanley, Jessica Gardner, Amber Bajorek, Samantha Sobba and Christina Hensley. Beautiful Dancing, Ladies!
The last performance of the day in Line-Dance by JDC dancers, average age twelve – fourteen (youngest dancer--nine and oldest--eighteen) was the rousing hiphop dance to “Rewind.” This hiphop performance is a definite crowd-pleaser and is so much fun to watch. The performers won a High Gold Medal and First-Place Trophy. They also won Second-High in the Top Two High Score Performances. This large group is instructed by Lois Bryan.
Kneeling front row--left to right) are Kira Jinkins, Micah Perry, Taylor Rai' Johnson, Stephanie York, Terra Johnson, Stephanie Singleton and Kendra Lytch. Second row are Tori Hanley, Bailea Jones, Amber Bajorek, Madi Spears and Lauren Travis. Third row are Tori Spears, Mackenzie Blanchard, Tessa Johnson and Kaitlin Soderlund. Back row are Amanda Cross, Kayla Vasquez, Jessica Holeman, Alana Whatley, Lindsey Sweet, Hannah Ellis, Joi Smith and Niki Rodgers. What a Group!!!
Also fun to watch were three hiphop dances performed by large groups of adults, ages thirty and above. Made the JDC parents want to get busy on a performance of their own - or at least talk about it!!!!
Sunday afternoon after the awards, solos were performed by older dancers, age twelve and above. JDC dancer, Kayla Vasques, age fifteen-sixteen, performed hiphop to “Fuego” and won a Gold Medal and First-Place Trophy. This was Kayla's first solo and she is instructed by Lois Bryan.
Jessica Holeman, who turned fifteen Saturday, performed a combination hiphop-tap-modern dance to “Cure for the Itch” and won a Gold Medal and First-Place Trophy. Jessica was instructed in this dance by Lois Bryan.
Congratulations to all the JDC Performers. You did a great job and we are proud of each and every one of you!!!!
The next competition for JDC will be the IDC Competition to be held soon at Memphis.