By Sue Tiffin

Published June 5 2018

About 55 Haliburton Dance Academy dancers aged four to 19 attended two competitions this spring. Together they brought home one dynamic gold 16 gold and 28 high gold awards from Dance Canada in Blue Mountain Collingwood and seven gold 24 high gold and 13 platinum awards from Shooting Stars in Port Hope.

But when Chyna Schell HDA director talks about those competitions she focuses most on how HDA dancers tried their best worked hard and were recognized for their kindness.

“We found this year both the competitions we attended were just smooth sailing” she said. “They were all about what we’re all about which is how hard work and happy kids is the priority not first place and gold. I really respected the competitions for the way they went about that.”

A highlight at the competitions was when at one of the events a respect award celebrated dancers who were backstage saying good luck to everyone and being charismatic. Awarded dancers then passed the award on to a different group at the next award section in the day.

“We actually received it twice in one day so they got to pass it along twice which was really lovely” said Schell. “That’s the most proud moment of the entire weekend there’s no doubt about it.”

The dance studio received excellence awards for sportsmanship and good character last year as well.

“I tell the kids all the time I don’t care what you come away with when it comes to your placements your bronzes silvers golds” said Schell. “I just want you to do your best. I’m only upset with you if I think that you could have done better and didn’t try – which I’m never upset because they always try – as long as they do their best and I’ve never seen them do their dance better and as long as they have fun and as long as they are enjoying themselves and being kind backstage … all of those things. Just to see it followed through is the most heartwarming thing in the world as a teacher.”

To learn more about Haliburton Dance Academy visit haliburtondanceacademy.com. Early registration is June 19 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Awards :

Dance Canada

Gold: 16

High gold: 28

Dynamic gold: 1

When there is more than one dance in the category 1st 2nd and 3rd places are awarded.

HDA received:

(7) 1st place awards

(12) 2nd place awards

(5) 3rd place awards

• Snr Company Jazz “Faith” received a Judge’s Special Award titled “JAZZ IT UP”

At the Dance Canada competition we received overall high scores for the following dances:

3rd place overall 8 and under group for Mini/Jr Hip Hop “G-Slide”

3rd place overall 9-10 group for Int Lyrical “The Climb”

2nd place overall 9-10 group for Int Jazz “Dance With Somebody”

3rd place overall 13-15 soloish for Jordy Schell “See You Again”

3rd place overall 13-15 duet/trio for Jordy Schell & Britney Bain’s duet “Say Something”

3rd place overall 13-15 group for Snr Hip Hop “Miss Carter”

2nd place overall 13-15 group for Snr Jazz “Faith”

Shooting Stars

Gold: 7

High gold: 24

Platinum: 13

When there is more than one dance in the category 1st 2nd and 3rd places are awarded.

HDA received:

(4) 1st place awards

(5) 2nd place awards

• Anabel Acero’s solo “Spanish Rose” received a Judge’s Special Award titled “STORYTELLING”

• Macy Miscio and Taylor Horsley’s duet “Photograph” received a Judge’s Special Award titled “PRETTY AS A PICTURE”

• Mini/Jr Musical Theatre “Talk Like a Pirate” received a Judge’s Special Award titled

“ENTERTAINMENT PLUS”

• Int Hip Hop “Madhouse” received a Judge’s Special Award titled “POWERHOUSE”

• Jordy Schell & Britney Bain’s duet “Say Something” received a Judge’s Special Award titled

“BEAUTIFUL CONNECTION”

• Jr Jazz “Mr. Saxobeat” received the Judge’s Choice Choreographer’s Award

• Jordy Schell & Britney Bain received the honorary SHOOTING STAR award chosen by the judges

amongst approximately 400 dances to perform a second time in the Showcase of the Stars performance at the end of the competition.

At the Shooting Stars competition we received overall high scores for the following dances:

3rd Place Overall for the Cutie Division Large Groups “Chiquita Banana”

2nd Place Overall for the Cutie Division Large Groups “Oh So Quiet”

1st Place Overall for the Cutie Division Large Groups “G-Slide”

5th Place Overall for the Mini Division Solos Anabel Acero with “Spanish Rose”

3rd Place Overall for the Mini Division Solos Kennedy Gill with “This Kiss”

3rd Place Overall for the Mini Division Duets/Trios Madelyn and Carrie Walker with “We Wanna”

2nd Place Overall for the Mini Division Small Groups “Walking on Sunshine”

3rd Place Overall for the Mini Division Large Groups “Madhouse”

2nd Place Overall for the Mini Division Large Groups “Mr Saxobeat”

2nd Place Overall for the Mini Division Extended Line “Dance With Somebody”

1st Place Overall for the Junior Division Solos Annie Merrifield with “Hair Whip”

4th Place Overall for the Junior Division Solos Paige Hough with “When Velma Takes the Stand”

3rd Place Overall for the Junior Division Small Groups “Land of 1000 Dances”

1st Place Overall for the Junior Division Small Groups “Dance With Me Tonight”

3rd Place Overall for the Junior Division Extended Line Groups “Pirates of the Caribbean”

2nd Place Overall for the Junior Division Extended Line Groups “Faith”

3rd Place Overall for the Intermediate Division Duets/Trios Matea Cameron and Wyatt Hutchings with “Unsteady”

2nd Place Overall for the Intermediate Division Duets/Trios Skye Lambshead and Wyatt Hutchings with “Timeless

To Me”

1st Place Overall for the Intermediate Division Duets/Trios Britney Bain and Jordy Schell with “Say Something”

2nd Place Overall for the Intermediate Division Small Groups “7 Nation Army”

4th Place Overall for the Senior Division Solos Danielle Allison with “Lose It”

Highest Overall Score for Solos: Wyatt Hutchings with “Stalker” CASH PRIZE

Highest Overall Score for Jazz: “Faith”

Highest Overall Score for Musical Theatre: Wyatt Hutchings with “Stalker”

Highest Overall Score for Contemporary: Britney Bain and Jordy Schell with “Say Something”

Highest Overall Score for Open: Jordy Schell with “See You Again”

Judges Choice Scholarship Award for the Canadian Dance Expo: Sydney Parish Most Potential