Master classes will take place in the gym, all dances and awards will be in the auditorium.  Please note that duets/trios are performing on Saturday morning instead of Friday night.

Dont’ miss out on your Master Class!  This competition will feature Lauren Froderman from So You Think You Can Dance season 7! Check her out at the bottom of this post…

Friday
#143 Just Can’t Do It Alone               4:51 PM
#153 Paris To Berlin                           5:16 PM
#160 Cosmic Love                              5:34 PM
#162 Vintage                                        5:39  PM
#168 Knockin                                       5:56 PM
#204 Secret                                          7:59 PM
#210 Dog Days Are Over                   8:15 PM
#214 Cooler Couler                            8:26 PM
#220 No Remorse                               8:42 PM
#221 Walking on Air                           8:44 PM
Awards for Can’t Do It Alone             6:35 PM
#222 Self-Explained                           8:46 PM
#224 Woman Scorned                       8:52 PM
#238 Little Bird                                     9:30 PM
#250 Sail                                               10:04 PM
#254 Requiem                                     10:14 PM
#256 Mr. Cellophane                          10:19 PM
#256 The Cha Cha                             10:35 PM
Awards for all other solos                  10:45 PM

Saturday
Master Class for Minis                        8:30-9:30
Master Class for Level 3                    11:00-12:30
#330 Diamonds Are A Girl’s BF        11:18 AM
#372 Sounds Of Summer                                 1:10 PM
Awards for Mini Team and All Duets               1:30 PM
Master Class for Levels 4&5             2:00-3:30
#384 It’s About That Walk                  2:41 PM
#422 Mid Summer Serenade           4:42 PM
#424 The Flock                                    4:47 PM
#436 The Cave                                    5:24 PM
Awards for Level 3                              5:30 PM
#474 Feel Good Time                        7:57 PM
#478 Glukoza Nostra                          8:09 PM
Awards for Level 4-5                           9:00 PM

(High Point Awards for Level 3’s categories will also be in the 9:00 PM ceremony but they will get their diamond placement and do their dance down in the 5:30 ceremony)

Raymond Lukens Flyer

Friday night our Dance Concepts dancers made an impressive showing.  Tessa Homer was awarded Queen of her division, Overall Senior Advanced Soloist, and received the second highest score of the entire night (roughly 300 dances!).  She also performed Knockin with Mikel Young with which they won 1st place in the Advanced Teen Duet/Trio catagory as well as 1st Overall Duet/Trio.  Julia Lee won Queen in her division as well as 2nd Runner up for Overall Senior Intermediate Solo.  Samantha Homer and Hannah Bergstrom also both won Queen in their solo divisions and Jacey Brimhall and Jenaca Whittenburg won 1st place with their duet.

Keith-rightfully proud of his talented dancers-and looking pretty snazzy in that tiara

Other outstanding performances include:

• Maddie Jorgensen and Hannah Duncan-2nd place duet
• Sarah Hunt and Samantha Homer-4th place duet
• Cassie Godwin-3rd runner up soloist
• Tara Godwin-Attendant
• Paradi Young-1st runner up soloist
• Sarah Jones-4th runner up soloist
• Mercedes Paige-Attendant
• Sarah Hunt-2nd runner up soloist
• Danielle Smith-Attendant
• Lili Benevito-Attendant

During Sarah and Samantha’s duet “Vintage,” Sarah experienced a bit of a wardrobe malfunction.  She handled it with a grace and professionalism that made us all proud to call her one of our dancers.  Judges and even teachers from other studios commented on what an impressive job she did.  Sarah reminded us all, in dramatic fashion, that we should always pin our costumes!

On Saturday our Mini Team had another great performance brining home Gold, as well as 3rd runner up Overall Tiny Novice Team and 3rd runner up Overall Tiny Grand Champion!  They have done so well in their first two competition this year!  It’s About That Walk received a High Silver award.  Midsummer Serenade, Sounds of Summer, The Cave, Glukoza Nostra, and The Flock all received Gold awards.  Glukoza Nostra and the Flock also tied with each other for 2nd runner up Teen Intermediate Teams. The Flock also received the Technical Merit award for their outstanding technique.  Feel  Good Time was awarded a High Gold and was in the overalls for their first time receiving 3rd runner up Overall Teen Novice Team.

It was a fun and memorable weekend.  We had a great time with all of the dancers and parents and can’t wait to do it again!

Jenna's First Solo - 6 years ago

Last weekend we took a few of our soloist to the Onstage New York competition at the Salt Palace.  We’re especially proud of Jenna Johnson for winning a special judge’s award recognizing her intensity while performing her solo.  This is Jenna’s 7th year with Dance Concepts and we’ve loved watching her go from a timid little dancer to a soloist who can command the stage.  Watch for her solo “Sail” choreographed by Julie Edison in the recital this spring.

Saturday morning marked our Mini Team’s debut into the competition world.  They were a little nervous, but a lot cute and did a great job.  After they got off stage they all said they wanted to go do it again!  They’ll get their chance in a couple of weeks when we head to Utah Dance Fest in Logan.  We’re thrilled they were awarded Mini Novice Large Team High Point Overall on their very first time out.

Level Five Ballet, “The Flock,” won Teen Competitive Small Group Overall High Point.  They also won “Teen Competitive Overall High Point” with their Jazz dance, “Glukoza Nostra”

This weekend all of our competition team members got the chance to take a class from Brandon Bryant from So You Think You Can Dance.  Saturday night they then competed the dance he had taught them earlier that day.  It’s a difficult and stressful task to learn a dance and then perform in on stage all in just one day, but our dancers really impressed us with their ability and their bravery.  Hannah Bergstrom and Mercedes Paige both made it through the first round and Tessa Homer ended up taking second place – out dancing more than 100 competitors.

Outside of the competition, the team had a great time together.  We all spent some time at the hotel swimming pool and our older dancers caught a midnight showing of The Hunger Games (all in matching braids).  We have a great group off dancers.  Thank you for making our jobs and our weekend so much fun.  Also a huge thanks to their parents for raising them to be such wonderful girls and for all that you do to give them the opportunity to dance and be part of the team.

Group Awards:

Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friends:  Blue Diamond & Mini Novice Large Team High Point

Sounds of Summer:  Blue Diamond

It’s About That Walk:  Purple Diamond

Feel Good Time: Blue Diamond

Mid Summer Seranade: Blue Diamond

The Cave:  Pink Diamond

The Flock: White Diamond & Teen Competitive Small Group High Point

Glukoza Nostra: White Diamond & Teen Competitive High Point

Can’t Do It Alone  2:30 PM

Awards for Can’t Do It Alone 3:45 PM

Sail 8:33 PM

Mr. Cellophane  9:56 PM

Knockin 10:13 PM

Awards for Sail, Mr Cellphane, and Knockin 11:00 PM

Friday:

Admission is free, so if you get in early on Friday and don’t have plans it would be awesome of you to come support our soloist that are performing that day.

Soloists (and duets) should arrive at least one hour before they are scheduled to perform.  Doors will open at 3:30. We will turn in your music for you, but you should always have an extra copy with you just in case.  Arrive in your costume with your Dance Concepts warm ups over the top.  When you get there look for our group.  We’ll either be warming up and stretching or else in the auditorium if someone is scheduled to perform soon.

At 7:00 on Friday they will hold the award ceremony for Lili’s solo and for all of the Duets/Trios.  The awards for the rest of the solos will be at 9:30.

Saturday:

When you arrive at the competition there will be a table set up which sells programs for the day.  Go there to find out where our dressing room is.  You should also register for the free master class there.

Mini Team:

There is a free master class from 9:00-10:30 with Brandon Bryant from So You Think You Can Dance.  You are invited, but not required to attend.  You should do your hair and makeup before the class, but just wear regular dance clothes, not your costume.

At 10:30 all dancers for Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend should report to our dressing room.  If you did not do the master class you should already be in costume with your hair and makeup done.  If you participated in the master class we will give you a few minutes to get your costume on and touch up your makeup as needed.  Julie will then run the dance a few times with the girls to get it fresh in their heads.  She will take them backstage and mom’s should head to the audience to cheer them on.

After you perform grab a quick bite to eat.  We would like you to be back to the competition by 1:15 to cheer on our other dances.  From 1:15-2:30 we have 4 other dances performing that you should be there to support.  Your award ceremony is at 3:00.  After awards you can be excused.  If you want to stay and watch our other dances that is fantastic, but we don’t want to make to day too long for our little guys.

Level 3:

There is a free master class from 9:00-10:30 with Brandon Bryant from So You Think You Can Dance.  Everyone from Level 3 should attend this class.  If you’ve never done a master class before this is a great, low pressure, first experience.  Dress like you would for a jazz class.  You need to register and get a wrist band in advance.  Look for a table set up for registration.

After this class head back to the dressing room and start getting ready for “It’s About that Walk.”  You should have your hair and makeup done by 11:00 but can stay in your warmups.  We’ll then go watch “Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend.”  After Diamonds performs head back to the dressing room, get warm and stretched and change into your costume.  You should be in the dressing room completely ready to go at 12:15.

After “It’s About That Walk” head back to the dressing room and get set for “Sounds of Summer.”  You are not allowed to leave the school for lunch in between these two dances.  Please plan on bringing something with you or having a parent go pick something up and bring it back.  Change quickly so you can be in the audience (with warmups over your costumes!) for our 2:00 dances.

After “Sounds of Summer” go back to the dressing room and change into your warm ups for your award ceremony at 3:00.  When your awards are over, please stay at support “The Cave” since they will be on soon after.  If you stay for the final two dances then you get a gold star and extra love.

Levels 4 and 5:

You should all attend the advanced master class from 11:00-12:30. Even though it is free you need to register and get a wristband from the check in table.  Dress to impress and get noticed  Do not wear your warm ups or t-shirts.  Afterward, everyone should head to the dressing room to get ready for “Feel Good Time” and “Glukoza Nostra.”  Pay attention to what’s going on and please be in the auditorium when “It’s About That Walk” goes on.  They are scheduled for 1:15.  As soon as they are done we need to quickly get together for warmup and running dances.

When you finish your Jazz dance you should head into the auditorium (not back to the dressing room) to watch the next couple dances.  “Glukoza” you will need to watch “Feel Good” from backstage since you are just 2 number after them.  “Feel Good” you will need to HURRY to the audience in order to see “Gukoza.” “Sounds of Summer” is about 5 dances after Glukoza.

After “Sounds of Summer” head back to the dressing room and get ready for “The Cave.”  This is your time to eat but you’ll need to bring food in.  Do not leave the school if you are in “The Cave.”

Attend the 3:00 awards ceremony-dressed and ready for The Cave with warmups on.

After “The Cave” we have a pretty quick, but not stressful quick, turn around into “Mid Summer Serenade” and “The Flock.”  You should be able to watch each other from the audience but will need to be in costume and ready with warm ups over.

For awards, as we understand it, your diamond placements for Glukoza and Feel Good Time will be in the 3:00 ceremony so you should be there for that. The overalls for all of your dances and the diamond placements for contemporary and ballet will be in the 6:30 award ceremony.

Everyone:

The schedule for the day is tight.  Please don’t forget to eat.  Either bring food in with you, buy from the competition or plan on having a parent make a food run.  Dancers should not leave until they are done for the day-there just isn’t a big enough gap in the schedule.

It appears that all dances are in the auditorium.  Master classes are in the gym.  We’re not sure where awards are being held so you’ll need to ask around the dressing room the day of the competition.

After the 6:30 award ceremony the tentative plan it to grab take-out and go eat by the pool so the kids can have some swim time.  The older girls are also looking at going to a 10:00 showing of Hunger Games (rated PG-13).  We’ll talk more about this in the parent meeting on Tuesday.

Finally, some basic rules we all follow:

• Your costume is only meant to be seen on stage.  Any other time (when you’re in the audience, hall ways, and award ceremonies) you should have your warm ups on.
• No swimming until you are done dancing for the weekend.
• Do not enter, exit, or walk around during another dance.  Wait until a dance finishes before moving.
• Do not talk badly about other studios or dancers.  You never know who’s around the corner.