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Local dancers earn scholarships

A number of local dance students took scholarships, trophies and awards home from the 34th Battlefords Dance Festival held over the Easter break week at the Dekker Centre.
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A number of local dance students took scholarships, trophies and awards home from the 34th Battlefords Dance Festival held over the Easter break week at the Dekker Centre.


Local studios Dance Connection and Annette's School of Dance were two of 10 dance schools participating in the event. Also participating were JD Dance of Rosetown, Revolution Dance of Unity, Rhythm Works Dance Studio of Shellbrook, Saskatchewan Express Musical Theatre Studio of Regina, Warman Dance Club Inc., Wilkie School of Dance and, from Saskatoon, Studio One and La Danse School of Dance Arts.


Among the local scholarship winners was Phaedra Mannix of Dance Connection who earned a scholarship for highest mark in demi-pointe ballet, 10 years.


Dante Bacchetto of Dance Connection was awarded a scholarship for a promising contestant in character ballet, 11-12 years.


Derian Nachtegaele of Dance Connection also earned a scholarship for promising contestant in character ballet, 11-12 years, plus the Valerie Armet Memorial Scholarship for a solo performer who has competed in two more solos, who exudes a strong heart, passion and dedication for performing.


Rebecca Davies and Allie Degenstein of Dance Connection were awarded a scholarship for a promising duo / trio in ballet, any form, any age.


A Dance Connection small group, performing Courtship, was awarded a scholarship for promising small character ballet group, 14 years and under. Dancing Courtship were Dante Bacchetto, Sierra Grill, Jade Menssa, Tayllor Priddle, Nicholas Turuk, Chloe Winterhalt, Courtney Wouters and Kaitlyn Yockey.


A scholarship for promising large or line character ballet group 11, years and under was awarded to the Dance Connection group performing Happy Working Song. The dancers were Taylyn Bird, Malora Bruynooghe, Taryn Hannah, Hayley Heidel, Tory Hildebrand, Caitlin Kramm, Alyssa Poitras, Zwyneth Rono, Alyssa Rowley, Jessica Ryan, Daivan Scherman and Electra Zoller.


In the jazz categories, Dance Connection dancers Chloe Sememiuk, 6, Hayley Scherman, 7, Electra Zoller, 8, Janaya Nachtegaele, 9, and Nicholas Turuk, 14, earned the highest marks in their age groups.


Macey Odishaw, Caitlin Kramm and Jenna Wolfe of Dance Connection won promising contestant scholarships in jazz, 8 years and under, 9 years and 10 years, respectively.


A Dance Connections group performing Fever earned a scholarship for small jazz group with the highest mark, 12-14 years. Dancing Fever were Alex Chmelnyk, Sierra Grill, Jade Menssa, Hannah Oxebin, Tayllor Priddle, Nicholas Turuk, Chloe Winterhalt, Courtney Wouters and Kaitlyn Yockey.


The Dance Connections group performing Something New earned a promising performer scholarship for large jazz group, 9-11 years. Dancers were Ava Bahrey, Delaney Cheyne, Sara Edwards, Dominique Heidel, Jenessa Leibel, Janaya Nachtegaele, Brynne Nachtegaele, Jayden Nelson, Alex Northcott, Comfort Oyewole, Kaffyna Santos, Marusia Shevchuk, Lexi Sims, Taylor Swistun, Jenna Wolfe and Emma Yockey.


In the tap category, Derian Nachtegaele of Dance Connection won a scholarship for highest mark in tap, 11 years.


Derian Nachtegaele, Alex Chmelnyk and Bridgitte Campbell of Dance Connection earned a scholarship for promising tap trio, any age.


A group from Annette's School of Dance performing Tight Rope won a scholarship for promising small tap group, 9-11 years. The dancers were Tori Abbott, Tyrza Barthel, Jael Basaraba, Lexea Fauth, Makenzie McConnell, Abigail Peterson, Sara-lee Reimer, Chayse Riglin and Morgan Wuttunee.


A Dance Connection group performing Wait a Minute earned a scholarship for promising small tap group, 12 years and over. Dancers were Sierra Grill, Brooklynn Lees, Jade Menssa, Kimberley Milnthorp, Tayllor Priddle, Nicholas Turuk, Chloe Winterhalt and Courtney Wouters.


A Dance Connection group performing What I Like earned a scholarship for large tap group highest mark, 11 years and under. Dancing What I Like were Ava Bahrey, Delaney Cheyne, Dominique Heidel, Jenessa Leibel, Janaya Nachtegaele, Brynne Nachtegaele, Comfort Oyewole, Marusia Shevchuk, Jenna Wolfe and Emma Yockey.


In the Musical Theatre categories, Ava Bahrey of Dance Connection earned a scholarship for the highest mark in musical theatre, 12 years and under.


Jordyn Nachtegaele, also of Dance Connection, earned a scholarship for the highest mark in musical theatre, 13-14 years. She was also awarded an Adjudicator's Choice award for any age for tuition to the Dance Connection Summer School 2014.


The Dance Connection group performing Matilda earned a scholarship for the group with the highest mark in musical theatre, any age, any size. The dancers were Kylee Aimoe, Brooklyn Bartkewich, Bridgitte Campbell, Kendra Deline, Carlie Hornsby, Ryleigh Kramer, Jenessa Leibel, Jordyn Nachtegaele, Derian Nachtegaele, Taylor Swistun, Chloe Winterhalt and Courtney Wouters.


In the lyrical category, Natalya Shevchuk of Dance Connection was the contestant with the highest mark in lyrical, 14 years.


The Dance Connection group performing Imagine earned a scholarship for large group with the highest mark in lyrical, 9-11 years. Dancing were Kylee Aimoe, Ava Bahrey, Brooklyn Bartkewich, Delaney Cheyne, Sara Edwards, Dominique Heidel, Carlie Hornsby, Ryleigh Kramer, Derian Nachtegaele, Janaya Nachtegaele, Brynne Nachtegaele, Katrina Senger, Natasha Senger, Marusia Shevchuk, Ashley Swistun, Jenna Wolfe and Emma Yockey.


In the hip hop category, Hayley Scherman and Nicholas Turuk of Dance Connection earned scholarships for the highest mark in hip hop, 10 years and under and 13-14 years, respectively. Nicholas was also awarded the Dawn Palmer Memorial Scholarship given, at the adjudicator's choice, to a dancer in any form, any age, displaying showmanship and enthusiasm for dance.


The Dance Connection group performing Like This earned a scholarship for promising small hip hop group, 12 years and over. The dancers were Jessica Geiger, Bailee George, Shaelyn Harper, Madison Jack, Andie Lefevre, Taylor McDonald, Amy Miller, Taneasha Pooyak and Matea Steinborn.


The Dance Connection group performing Girls Just Gotta to Have Fun earned a scholarship for promising large hip hop group, 11 years and under. The dancers were Ava Bahrey, Delaney Cheyne, Jenessa Leibel, Phaedra Mannix, Janaya Nachtegaele, Brynne Nachtegaele, Jayden Nelson, Alex Northcott, Comfort Oyewole, Caitlyn Sequeira, Marusia Shevchuk, Lexi Sims, Taylor Swistun, Jenna Wolfe and Emma Yockey.


Meagan Houle of Annette's School of Dance earned a scholarship for promising contestant in hip hop 15-16 years.


Annette School of Dance choreographer of Streets, Kelly Woodley, received an Adjudicator's Choice Award for excellence in choreography. Dancing in Streets were Tori Abbott, Paisley Armstrong, Meagen Houle, Taylor Kozlowski, Sierah Lehman and Khoniss Wuttunee.