Community News
Bainbridge Dancers on World Stage
By
Aug 12, 2007, 16:55

The Deep South Dancers, competed at the International Dance Challenge throughout this year.  Attending a regional competition in Atlanta in April of this year, the team brought home 3 platinum medals.  The dancers were also awarded several top honors including the overall winner of the 12 & under age division which encompassed more than 300 routines.

The team competed at the IDC Nationals in Orlando, FL this summer.  The 19 Show Troupe members and their families traveled to Orlando in July,  and after 4 days of competition brought home 2 Platinum,  and several Gold medals  for a total of 19 dance routines in all genres of dance.
 
The Pee Wee/Junior members of the dance team,  ages 6-13 years old, competed in the jazz, hip hop, ballet, musical theater  and clogging categories.  Together, these girls won 2 Platinum medals, and numerous Gold medals.  The members of the Pee Wee team include Annie Bridges, Harley Cooper, Evan Hall, Jillian Hawkins, Briana Mills, Taylor Mills, Jessie Oliver, Emily Perkins, Mallie Rollins, Harley Shiver, and Sydney Thompson.

The Senior dance team is comprised of members Rachel Oliver, Madison Richardson, Tori Richardson, and Lindsey Wells, Sarah Oliver, Allison Kelley, and Bailey Troyer. Together, competing in jazz, lyrical, tap, and acro, they brought home  many Gold medals.

As a group, the team only completed one production number in the open category, winning  a  Gold  medal for their performance.  Coach, Lea Hawkins, explained that though our small town studio qualifies to compete under the "recreational division" along with other small-town studios, she knows her dancers have the talent and the drive to hang with the best.  "Bainbridge really has something to be proud of, and we showed it to some of the best dancers in the world."

There were also 6 soloists and one trio from DSD Show Troupe.  The youngest member, Harley Cooper, competed in the 5/6 yr old division in musical theater with "New York, New York".  She won Gold medals at both the regional and the national level.  Brianna Mills and Jessie Oliver also performed  jazz routines in the 7/8 year old category and won Gold medals.

Rachel Oliver, age 14, competed "The Real Me", a liturgical lyrical, winning Gold medals.  Her sister Sarah Oliver, age 16, clogged to "Banjo Fantasy" winning Gold medals at both competitions.  The sister duo also competed a liturgical duet as well as a tap routine winning Gold medals for both.

Emily Perkins, age 9, won a 1st place trophy and a PLATINUM medal (the highest award available) for her acro/jazz "One Jump Ahead."  She also posted the 2nd  overall high score out of about 250 entries for the 5-12 year division and won a Broadway scholarship to take class in New York City.

Coach Melynda Murkerson said," I couldn't be more proud of our kids.  Along with the support of their parents, their hard work has made them stars on the world stage."