Tag Archives: competition

The Summer Stride

The Summer Stride

Summer is just around the corner and here at Kick Performing Arts we are super excited about all our fantastic summer program offerings!

With the current dance season winding down and the new season ramping up, you might have been wondering lately if summer dance classes are right for your child. From our experience, every student has the potential to hit their “summer stride” … in other words, they all have the ability to keep their learning power going in the summer, without losing any momentum!

We believe there is a unique benefit for each and every student who dances with us in the summer, whether it’s during a weekly class, a dance camp, or an intensive. Read on to see which advantages might be in store for your child!

Making Progress
Because dance is built on muscle memory, summer study can help your child fine-tune their movement vocabulary and technique, allowing them to improve their skills, grow stronger, and be better prepared to take on new material.  With so much more available time, we see our dancers make huge progress each summer!

Being Consistent
Young children do well with stability in their routine, so maintaining that normalcy with summer dance can give them (and you!) peace of mind, even as the rest of your summer plans may vary.  For our older dancers the consistency allows them to stay strong all summer long!!

Getting Motivated
After the showcase, we find that some students are eager to try a new dance style (usually something they were inspired by!) to see how they like it. Summer is THE perfect time to test out those new interests, without a long commitment.

Gaining Confidence
Our summer programs, with their blend of both structure and fun, can give your child the boost they need to jump into fall classes feeling good about themselves. There’s nothing quite like the personal development that can be built in the summer!

It’s part of our mission to ensure that your child is learning how to balance their hard work with time off, and the summer offers the best of both worlds. We encourage all of our students to make time for rest and relaxation, and also make time to keep their bodies strong and minds engaged. This balance is what the true summer stride is all about!

There’s something for everyone here this summer at Kick Performing Arts. We’re happy to help you customize the right schedule for your family or make a special recommendation for your child … just ask!

Kick Dance Studio Dancers Score Big During Competition Season

Kick Dance Studios dancers scored big after a busy competition season, bringing home more first place wins than ever before its 15-year history. 150 dancers participated in three different competitions — Dancers Inc. in East Brunswick, NJ, April 1-3; Beyond The Stars Dance Competition in Vorhees, NJ, April 8-10; and Access Broadway in Atlantic City, NJ, April 22-24. 40 dancers participated in extra competitions; Cathy Roe Ultimate Dance Challenge, Basking Ridge, NJ, March 19-20; Elite Dance Challenge in Nutley, NJ, April 29-May 1.

Here are the first-place wins for Kick dancers:

Kick Dance competition

 

Junior Team

1st Overall T.E.A.M. at Access Broadway
Emily Ketterer of Rumson – 1st place solo
Sophia Mazzei of Rumson – Miss Petite Elite at Cathy Roe
Catherine Bradley of Rumson – 1st place solo overall and Miss Cathy Roe
Henry Berry of Fair Haven 3 title wins – Mr. Cathy Roe, Mr. Dancers Inc., and Mr. Elite
“Bell Hop Boogie” – 1st place at three competitions
“Poor Unfortunate Souls” – 1st place in two competitions overall
“Ease on Down” – 1st place in two competitions overall
“Consider Yourself” – 1st place duet overall
“Dream Girls” – 1st place overall in two competitions plus Most Entertaining
“All He Cares About Is Love” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“School of Rock” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“Magic” – 1st place overall
“Welcome to the 60s” – 1st place overall
“Rotten to the Core” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“Born to Entertain” – 1st place, Highest Scoring Dance, Musical Theater Vocal

Kick Dance competition

Senior Team

Kendall Walsh of Rumson- 1st place solo overall
Madeleine Ganun, 11, Rumson – Miss Junior Ultimate Dance Cathy Roe
“Pitch Perfect” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“100% Pure Love” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“Little Red Hat” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“Fuego” – 1st place overall in two competitions
“Safe and Sound” – 1st place duet overall
“Chocolaté” – 1st place overall
“I Wanna Be a Producer” – 1st place and Most Entertaining
“Corner” – 1st place overall
“Not So Serious Soldiers” – 1st place overall
“Run Freedom, Run” – 1st place overall
“Marry You” – 1st place duet overall
“We Own the Night” – 1st place overall

Kick Dance School team wins big at national event

Kick Dance School Teams Rise To The Top at National Event

Students from Kick Dance Studios danced their way into the national finals at the Backstage Performing Arts Competition and skipped away with a first overall award, not to mention more than a handful of other wins. (Spoiler alert: One of the awards came from a judge with a special title!)

For the first time in six year, dancers from Kick Dance Schools in Fair Haven and Rumson competed in the Backstage Performing Arts Competition national finals held July 15-18 in Hershey, PA. The “Give Him a Great Big Kiss” routine, a musical theater/acro theater performance, placed first overall in the 10 and under, duo/trio division. Of the more than 500 entries, less than 15 percent received special judges’ awards, and Kick Dance Studios dancers won for each of their six routines. The teams competed in the 10 and under category.

“This was the first time we’ve gone in six years, so to come back after that long and do so well is outstanding,” said Vanessa Berry, owner of Kick Dance Studios.

Kick Studio performers won first in category for four different routines, second overall for the musical theater routine “Orphans,” and third overall for “Timeless to Me,” and “I Wanna Be A Rockette.” Dancers also received several special judges’ awards, including ‘Stars of Tomorrow,’ ‘Fun and Fresh,’ ‘Personality Plus,’ Simply Breathtaking,’ and ‘Musical Theater Comedy.’ Perhaps the most flattering of all the judges’ awards was the one of ‘Future Rockette,’ given by an actual Rockette!

“It was a huge success,” said Berry. “Seeing the hard work and dedication these kids put in pay off showed incredible teamwork. But most importantly these kids had fun. It was great to see them having such a great time, and the moms had just as much fun as the kids!”

The Backstage Performing Arts Competition is an industry leader in the dance and performing arts competition arena. The competition is meant to provide a fun, fair and educational dance experience for all participants, and fosters an atmosphere of camaraderie and good sportsmanship.

“The competition was stiff,” said Berry. “Everyone who participated was strong and incredibly worthy of competing on the national level.”

Kick Dance Studio instructor Kaitlyn Kurkelemis choreographed three of the six routines performed at the national competition, ‘Timeless to Me,’ ‘I Wanna Be A Rockette,’ and ‘Orphans.’ Berry choreographed ‘Man Around the House,’ as well as the winning number, ‘Give Him a Great Big Kiss.’ Her two children, Henry and Sadie, were the performing duo of ‘Timeless to Me.’

Kick dance school students come to us from Rumson, Fair Haven, Oceanport, Little Silver, Red Bank, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, Eatontown, Shrewsbury, Oceanport, NJ and beyond.