Artistry in Motion Earns Top Honors at 2012 Nationals Competition

Twelve dancers from Artistry in Motion, the in-house dance company of the Des Plaines Park District, took home top honors at the 2012 DanceAmerica National Finals held in Orlando, Florida, July 3-6. Twenty-four studios performed six hundred and thirteen dances, competing for individual and group awards during the four days. Artistry in Motion performed seventeen dances and received seven first, two second, one third and two fourth place awards.

Of special note, Meghan Hanrahan was awarded the prestigious Dancer of the Year for the Junior division, ages 12-15, of the 80 dancers competing, and earned a $750 scholarship. Jordin Suwalski was named third runner up in the Dancer of the Year Petite Division, ages 7-11 and earned a scholarship for a one-day Dance Olympus Workshop during the 2012-13 season. Mathew Skorupski, was named second runner up for Male Junior Dancer of the Year, and Kim Diebold finished within the top 13 for Dancer of the Year in the Junior Division.

Earning first place awards were: Uprising, a Jazz Solo performed by Hanrahan and choreographed by Mary Williams; Machine, a Modern duet performed by Hanrahan and Diebold and choreographed by Cecilia Ferguson-Bell; Sigh No More, a Modern solo performed by Diebold and choreographed by Ferguson-Bell, Blood Brothers, a Lyrical solo performed by Suwalski and choreographed by Williams, (second runner up High Score for Primary and Junior Solos;) Beggin', a Hip-Hop solo performed by Skorupski and choreographed by Karlo Familara; Neighborhoods, a Modern group piece performed by Hanrahan, Skorupski, Suwalski, Jenna Specchio, Kari Radke, Jackie Rentner, Elizabeth Skorupski, Hailey Suwalski, and Izzie Kopczewski; and Not Over You, a Lyrical group piece performed by Hanrahan, Diebold, Specchio, Radke, Megan Swanson, Jordin Suwalski, and Erika Hahn and choreographed by Anne Gollenberg. Special mention also goes to Carmen, a Pointe solo performed by Hanrahan and choreographed by Gollenberg, which was named the Teachers' Choice Favorite.

Artistry dancers earning a second place award were Girls, Boys and Hip Hop, a Small group Hip-Hop performed by Hanrahan, Swanson, Kopczewski, and Jordin Suwalski and choreographed by Williams and Unpretty, a duet performed by Kari Radke and Jackie Rentner and choreographed by Laura Chiuve.

“We are especially proud of the dancers in Not Over You who out of 600 competing dances were one of thirty chosen to perform on the Beauty and the Beast Stage at Hollywood Studios. Experiences like competing at Nationals and taking part in workshop classes that followed the competition help our dancers develop stage presence, technique, and self-confidence,” Cultural Arts Supervisor Nancy Suwalski said. “We invite all dancers to attend our free Open House on August 25 and see what the Des Plaines School of Dance has to offer,” she said. For more information about Artistry in Motion and the Des Plaines School of Dance call 847-391-5711 or visit www.DPParks.org.