South Elgin dancers takes trophies at regional contest

On Feb. 18-19, the Elite Academy of Dance Competition Team attended the Celebration Talent Competition at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford.

This was the first of three regional competitions that the team will be attending this year. They also will attend a national level competition later this summer. Elite, along with 13 other teams from the Chicago area, competed for various awards and placement trophies throughout the weekend.

The team of 47 dancers took 21 different routines to this competition, all of which received a Gold, High Gold, or Platinum trophy. Fourteen of their routines placed within the top 10 of their category, including three first-place overall high score trophies. The team also received two choreography awards, two performance awards, and three Judge’s Choice awards for emotional execution, ensemble work, and technical execution and precision. Three of Elite’s soloists also were chosen as Dancer of the Year finalists. Instead of receiving trophies for their many awards, the team chose to donate the cost of their trophies to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Elite has chosen to donate to the MDA each year it has attended Celebration Talent.

For the third year in a row, Elite also received the “Life of the Party” award, the award given to the studio which shows the most team spirit, best attitude, and good sportsmanship throughout the weekend. Elite has received Celebration’s “Life of the Party” award each year the Celebration Talent Competition has come to Rockford.

Elite Academy of Dance opened in South Elgin in July 2007. The dance academy, which currently enrolls more than 500 students, was awarded the 2012 Daily Herald’s Reader’s Choice Award for best dance studio in the Fox Valley.