MJ DANCE Studio students showed off their skills over the summer holidays in two national competitions, the Melbourne Follow Your Dreams and Gold Coast Showcase Nationals.
The small but strong representation at the showcase saw four dancers take to the stage performing to their very best with studio director Maria Slape and her daughter Christina also travelling to see the top 10 dancer of the year section.
“The group was truly mind blowing and we were very happy to be able to travel to see the talent,” Ms Slape said.
“Madi Lane and Ryan Thompson were successful in gaining third place in their respective age groups, which was an incredible achievement.”
The local dancers joined over 2000 acts from across Australia and New Zealand with Ruby Dyson, Isabella Lawrie, Molly Clarke and Olivia Hawthorn gaining places in the top 10 championship section.
Sarah McKinnon was also successful in the duo with Isabelle Lawrie coming in at third place overall and in the pink lemon modelling contest where she together with Molly Clarke and Madi Lane won a spot in the tutu performance modelling contest.
The studio won the overall senior group title with “the giving tree” with Ms Slape winning a trip to Hong Kong as the prize.
The juniors came runner-up in their overall division and the studio took home the studio spirit award for the second consecutive year.
Student Halle Anderson also gained a first and third in the pre-teen elite division with Madi Lane, showing she is one to beat, also winning the league of champions title and gaining two second placings in the junior elite division, while Ryan Thompson gained three first placings and two fifth placings in the elite senior division.
In the Follow Your Dreams competition there were achievements all around for the local dancers with Maria Hosking receiving second place in “jazz no tricks” and Hannah Duckworth coming in second in jazz for the under six section.
In the Under 8 section, Sasha Bannon placed first in open and second in jazz, Ruby Dyson placed sixth in lyrical and Ava McCullough came in sixth in jazz.
For the Under 10 section, Madi Lane ranked in the placings, coming first in contemporary, Broadway and open, third in ballet and sixth in lyrical.
Kiera McBain was also a high achiever receiving third place in open.
The Under 12 section saw Bella Lawrie take home fourth place in contemporary and open, while Milla Vinko placed fourth in Broadway.
For the Under 14s, Molly Clark took home a variety of awards, placing first in open, second in lyrical and eighth in contemporary, with Olivia Hawthorne receiving sixth place in contemporary and Sarah McKinnon placing fourth in broadway.
Asha Rodda shone in the Under 16 section placing first in lyrical and broadway, third in contemporary and jazz and fourth in open, while Tennille Grubb received third place in ballet and eighth in contemporary and Cassie Sullivan placed fourth in ballet.
In the duos section, Sarah McKinnon and Bella Lawrie placed first in lyrical, Sophie and Bailee Lewis placed first in jazz and Remy Duckworth and Halle Boult placed third in jazz.
Thrilled with the outcome, Ms Slape said they had a lovely time together meeting new dancers and catching up with old friends.
“Parents, dancers and teachers all love the atmosphere at nationals, it is such a buzz to be involved and to be dancing alongside some incredible talents,” she said.
“At both nationals, MJ Dance Studio was represented by amazing and talented young dancers and once again we were recognised at the highest level of competition, not only representing our town, but our state as we were the only championship winner at Follow Your Dreams from South Australia and the highest placing dancers in the Dancer of the Year section at showcase.”
