Sussex Dance Academy dancers win highest score, scholarships in competition

Sussex Dance Academy of Rehoboth Beach and Georgetown traveled to Washington, D.C. Jan. 13-15 for the Tremaine Regional Dance Competition and Convention. Twenty-five students participated under the direction of studio owner Kate Downes Walker.

Competing dancers performed dances in classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and acro-dance. The group of dancers started rehearsing their numbers less than three weeks ago due to their recent performances of "The Nutcracker," yet won many prestigious awards at the event.

The students won four first-place awards for ballet and jazz dances; four second-place awards for contemporary, ballet, and acro-dance, and one third-place award for their group lyrical dance. Sara Clem, 16, of Lewes won the overall highest score for her classical ballet variation, “Esmeralda.” In addition, four dancers from the academy were semifinalists after successfully completing a ballet and jazz audition during the convention classes. Clem was awarded a weeklong dance scholarship for summer 2012 in Hollywood, Calif., and Kole Loftin of Georgetown was awarded a yearlong scholarship to attend Tremaine Dance Conventions nationally.

“The reason we did so well all weekend is because all dancers take ballet classes each week to improve their technique rather than practice a routine day in and day out during class,” explains Walker. The students were personally complimented by the nationally recognized Tremaine staff on their ballet technique. Staffers said their versatility was a direct result of their ballet training. This is the fourth year that Sussex Dance Academy has attended Tremaine Competitions and qualified for the National Finals Convention in Orlando, Fla. For further information, go to sussexdance.com.