From Centerstage Dance Company

 

Centerstage Dance Company, under the direction of LeAnne Jones-Braly, competed at Star Talent National Dance Competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The event took place June 19-23. Thirty-eight studios from North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida competed in the five-day competition. Four judges, who had been prescreened and provided by Impact Dance Adjudicators, had the task of scoring all dances.

The Junior Company was composed of dancers  Ainsley Moore, Anna Reid Moore, Kaitlyn Jones, Lily Avery and Madison Swanner. The small lyrical group’s dance to “A Million Dreams” won a Platinum Award and fifth-place overall.

The Teen Company consisted of dancers Jessica Williams, MacKenzie Rouse, Zoe Davenport, Ashley Mills, and NiShi Desai. The group danced to “Emerge” and received a Platinum Award and eighth-place overall; “A Reason to Fight” won a Platinum Award, first place Modern, and 10th-place overall; “Carry You” received a Platinum Award and first place Lyrical; “War of Hearts” won a High Gold Award and first-place Open. “Rescue You” received a Platinum Award. A High Gold Award went to “I Remember Her.” The Teen Company received a High Gold and first place in character for “Rockabye Baby.” They also received a Platinum Award for “Walk Through the Fire.”

In the Senior Division, MacKenzie Rouse performed a lyrical solo and received a Platinum Award. At the Louisburg Regional, MacKenzie won the $2,000 Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade and Intensive Dance Scholarship, Nov. 22-29, in New York City. Jessica Williams, in the Senior Division, received a High Gold Award in Jazz. Zoe Davenport, jazz soloist in the Teen Division, was the recipient of a Platinum Award. NiShi Desai, in the Teen Division, received a Platinum Award for her lyrical solo. Ainsley Moore, in the Junior Division, received a High Gold Award and first place Lyrical. Kaitlyn Jones, in the Petite Division, was presented a Platinum Award, first place Lyrical, and fifth-place overall for her lyrical solo. She received a full scholarship for The Star Experience — The Dance Intensive and Forward to Stardom in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for Oct. 12-13. Kaitlyn also danced with the Star Select Performance Team at the National Extravaganza on Sunday at the end of the competition.

Centerstage Dance Company is home based at Dance Works Performing Arts Center located at 149B N. Market St. in Washington. Centerstage performs at the Washington Civic Center for their annual dinner theatre in February/March and at the Dance Works Recital in May 2019.