Artistry in Motion Earns Top Honors at 2016 DanZa Nationals Competition
Twenty-nine dancers from Artistry in Motion, the in-house dance company of the Des Plaines Park District, traveled to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL for the 2016 DanZa Nationals Competition July 8-10. 16 studios across North America competed in 445 dances during the 3-day competition that focused on both individual and group awards.
In the DanZa STAR (Supreme Talent Artistic Recipient) Solo Semifinals, Natalie Sanchez took first place in the Advanced Age Division out of 59 soloists while Mathew Skorupski was the Male 1st Runner-Up. Anna Wozniakowski was the 2nd Runner-Up in the Youth Age Division while Callie Weinert took home 3rd Runner-Up in the Prime Age Division. Jordin Suwalski and Ashlinn DeMonte were named in the Top 10 in the Youth and Prime Divisions, respectively.
Groups earning 1st Place National Champion Awards were Kiley White, Giulia Demma, and Makayla Allen in "Get Back", a hip-hop trio choreographed by Anthony Lofendo; Weinert and Sabrina Linek in a contemporary duet "Ho Hey," choreographed by Cecilia Ferguson-Bell; Rhythm 2 Tap Company with their performance of, "Miss Otis Regrets, choreographed by Laura Witter; DeMonte, White, and Lauren Roskoske in a tap trio, "Run the World," choreographed by Jamie Salas, which won the overall high score in Prime Duo/Trio; DeMonte, White, and Demma in "Kidz", an open trio choreographed by Meghan Hanrahan; Kim Fairhead, Suwalski, and Wozniakowski in a contemporary trio, "One Way or Another, choreographed by Ferguson-Bell; Bridget Donovan, Jackie Rentner, Meghan Hanrahan, Greta Sorensen, and Sanchez for their jazz group, "Countdown," choreographed by Mary Williams; the Jr. A Company with their contemporary performance of "Let It Be," choreographed by Karli Walker; the Senior/Teen Company with "To This Day," choreographed by Jamie Salas, which also won the Overall High Score in Advanced Large Group; the Rhythm 1 Tap Company with "Settle Down," choreographed by Witter; Sorensen and Skorupski for their tap duet "Lovefool," choreographed by Salas; Hanrahan, Sanchez, and Suwalski for a contemporary trio, "See You Again," choreographed by Witter; Senior Company with "Hallelujah," choreographed by Salas; Suwalski, Sanchez, and Wozniakowski in a jazz trio, "Emergency," choreographed by Salas; Marcell Podsiadly and Hanrahan in a modern duet, "Hometown Glory," choreographed by Ferguson-Bell; Sanchez and Skorupski in a lyrical duet, "Close Your Eyes," choreographed by Robert McKee; Hanrahan, Sanchez, Sorensen, Fairhead, Wozniakowski, Suwalski, DeMonte, Demma, Weinert, and Bianca Noonan for "Sing to the Moon," a contemporary group choreographed by McKee; DeMonte, Allen, Olivia Bitcon, White, and Demma for "Orange Colored Sky," a jazz group choreographed by Witter; Bitcon, DeMonte, Suwalski, Suzy Linek, and White for their musical theater group, "Hard Knock Life," choreographed by Salas; and Linek, Tess Wastyn, Niki Vujcic, DeMonte, Bitcon, Podsiadly, Fairhead, and Wozniakowski in their contemporary ballet group, "Breathe Me," choreographed by Ferguson-Bell.
Soloists taking home 1st Place National Champion were Medina Dizdarevic, Noonan, DeMonte, Linek, Suwalski, Podsiadly, Bitcon, Sanchez, Skorupski, Hanrahan, and Sorensen whose "Smooth Criminal," choreographed by Witter won the overall high score in Advanced Solo Female.
Makayla Allen received the Prime Outstanding Emotional Display Award for her dance "Neverland" while Fairhead, Suwalski, and Wozniakowski won the Youth Outstanding Emotional Display award for "One Way or Another." Jamie Salas was awarded the Advanced Choreography Award for Sanchez's solo, "The Last Time He Saw Dorie."
In addition to the dance awards, Artistry in Motion also received the Advanced Studio Excellence Award which recognizes the overall body of work and consistency in quality of dances.
"I am honored to be a part of this team and to represent the Des Plaines Park District," Cultural Arts Supervisor Nancy Suwalski said. "Everybody worked extremely hard and I couldn't be more proud of this group and their drive to be the best."
For more information about upcoming fall programs, events, and registration, visit www.dpparks.org.