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Collage has three teams qualify for nationals

Submitted Photo Dazzlers Dance Team is pictured. First Row: Lacey Genovese, Alex Halstrom, Gigi Ferro, Mya Carmona, Alaina Incitto. Second Row: Ashley Foringer, Ella Duliba, Kassidy Incitto, Jaryaniz Vazquez, Mackenna Incitto, Lilly Snyder. Third Row: Taylor Thompson, Kaitlin Hayes, Abby Roth, Kara Vecchio, Denali Lockett.

The Collage Performing Arts Center is proud to announce the recent accomplishments of its three competitive dance teams. The New York Majestic Senior competitive dance team, The Dazzlers and Junior Dazzler’s dance teams have qualified for the 2018 National Dance Team Championships. The dance teams have qualified for the dance Nationals for 25 consecutive years. CPAC high school, youth and mini dance teams attended two five day UDA summer dance intensive and regional dance championship, one at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and one at James Madison University in Virginia. The competitions host dance teams from throughout the northeast battling for a spot to compete at the prestigious national dance championships held in February 2018.

The NY Majestic senior dance team has 12 team members in grades eight through twelve. Melissa Berg and Mary Barnes serve as senior team captains. The senior team is coached by Jenna Mansfield and Mariah Wojciechowski. The youth and mini teams are coached by Collage Artistic director Marci Williams-Hadley. The Senior team earned a first place finish in the compulsory jazz and lyrical dance category and earned the qualifying points for a spot at the UDA national dance team championships receiving the “Superior Team” trophy for their efforts performing their home jazz dance to “Cosmic Love.” The Majestics earned a gold medal and a silver medal at last year’s National championships and also represented NY State at the World Dance Championships in May, where the team placed 13th in the World in the Jazz division.

The Dazzlers and Junior Dazzler’s competed in the summer intensive and each earned a first place superior award for their jazz dance. The dance teams are eligible to compete in the UDA Youth and Mini divisions at the National Dance Team Championships this year. Kara Vecchio serves as team captain of the Youth team.

Several outstanding dancers competed in the individual “All-American Individual Dancer” competition at Slippery Rock University and James Madison University. These dancers were required to attend extra dance classes and perform jazz, pom, hip-hop and high kick dance skills in a routine judged by a panel of five professionals. Majestic senior team members Mary Barnes, Hannah Koning, Alizee Dziduch, Melissa Berg, Catie Roth, Olivia Schrantz, Maya Vecchio, Kassidy Incitto, Shelby Genovese, Zoe Loeb, were selected as outstanding UDA All-Americans at James Madison University and Kara Vecchio, Kaitlin Hayes, Gigi Ferro, Mackenna Incitto, Alaina Incitto, Abby Roth, Jaryaniz Vazquez, Mya Carmona, Lacey Genovese were selected as All-Americans at the Slippery Rock Competition. The All-Americans each received gold medals for their accomplishment.

The New York Majestic dance team members, the Dazzlers and Junior Dazzler’s dancers were selected in June through team invitations. The dancers receive team invitations based on skill level, attitude and practice attendance records. The teams perform at many area summer events. The team recently performed in the Mayville Fourth of July Celebration Parade and also performed at the The Chautauqua County Fair Collage Talent Hour. In addition, the teams performed for the Ladies of the WCA home and St. Columban’s on the Lake residents. Sharing their talents with the community and volunteering their time with retired residents is something the dancers look forward to every year. The three teams will be performing at the Dunkirk Light House Celebration on Aug. 19 and 20 at 11 a.m., in addition to dancing at the Fredonia Farm Festival and the annual Silver Creek Grape Festival Parade in Silver Creek in September.

All dance team members receive their dance technique training at the Collage Performing Arts Center. Team members are required to take a minimum of ten hours of dance training per week and attend mandatory team practice sessions. The Collage teaching staff are required to have a bachelor’s degree in education, CPR and first aid certification, as well as professional dance experience.

The Collage Performing Arts Center will be holding fall dance class registration on Aug. 19 and Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon. For additional Fall Dance Class information, call Marci at 672-8678.

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