News : Midwest Starz: Cooling Dancers place at regional competition

Cooling Dancers received many awards at the Starz event.

Rise and Shine: Cooling Dancers receive awards at Starz event in DM.

Preteen Best

The 'Rise and Shine' team receives its award.

A total of 73 dancers from the Cooling Dance Center of Vinton competed March 3 and 4 at the regional “Midwest Starz” competition in Des Moines. The dancers had an outstanding finish, with all Vinton groups qualifying for the national finals in Wisconsin Dells, WI this June.

Held at the Iowa Events Center, Hy-Vee Hall, the event featured two performance rooms running simultaneously, with each routine evaluated by a panel of three professional judges in front of an audience. Hundreds of dancers from studios across Iowa were in attendance. Routines were individually rated silver, gold, high gold, or platinum, with platinum being the highest possible rating and being rarely given.

Additionally, the top five entries in each age group were later named as “high point” winners/runners-up. Each judge was also able to give one “special” award, and also to name a few dancers from each 2-hour grouping as “standout” dancers.

Cooling Dancers received two special judge’s awards, “Genuinely Great” for “Rise and Shine,” and “Vitamin D Energy Award” for “Walkin’ on Sunshine.” Additionally, Allissa Hendryx, age 10 and Ashtynn Lohrer, age 9 both of Vinton were chosen as “Standout Dancers” from hundreds for their excellent technique and stage presence. They both performed in “Goody Goody.” They will be a part of a special production routine performed at nationals along with other standout dancers selected from other competitions in a six-state region.

To prepare for the Iowa regional event, the Cooling dancers rehearsed twice weekly for the past six weeks, learning to perform as a team using proper dance technique, energetic stage presence, and precision. Any dance student age 7 and up with a desire to compete and improve dance performance was included in the competitive group. Along the way, the children experienced the educational process of polishing their routine from start to finish, culminating in the many awards below given at the event.

Results by age group were as follows:

“Mini” (average age 7-8) “Rise and Shine” High Gold Rating, 1st Place High Point Mini (highest score in the age group) and special judges award “Genuinely Great.”

Greta Aldrich, Claire Booth, Brylee Bruce, Kali Burke, Gwen Clemenson, Valerie Cox, Newelle Dalton, Emma Hearn, Abbye Hendryx, Lucy HowesVonstein, Olivia Janss, Randi Jenkins, Allie Kemp, Kailey Lazenby, Ann Lent, Ariana Maddox, Lauren Paine, Brynn Patterson, Lydia Radeke, Karsyn Semelroth, Libby Setter, Taylor Shipley., Kaylee Sorum, Jayden Steffen, Grace Sutton, Chelsee Tharp, Ella VanWeelden, Max Vasquez.

Pre-Teen (average age 9-11) “Walkin’ on Sunshine” Platinum Rating, 1st Place High Point Pre-Teen, and special judges award “Vitamin D Energy Award.”

Leah Bohnsack, Olivia Erhardt, Franki Evans, Sonnie Evans, Lucy HowesVonstein, Hannah Houtakker, Ann Lent, Lauren Murray, Josie Sagan, Karsyn Semelroth, Kaylee Sorum, Jayden Steffen, Taryn Sutton, Chelsee Tharp, Lauren Upmeyer

Pre-Teen “Goody Goody” Platinum Rating, and 1st Runner Up High Point Pre-Teen Overall

Charley Cooling, Erin Cox, Cassie Hazen, Allissa Hendryx, Collin Henry, Davia Herger, Maurissa Higgins, Noreasa Higgins, Ashtynn Lohrer, Brianna Lundvall, Shelby McDonald, Katie Noren, Lauren Price, Amy Thomas, Morgan White.

Pre-Teen “Thank You” High Gold Rating and 3rd in Preteen Jazz Category

Taylor Berry, Baylee Bruce, Olivia Coder, Faith Crawley, Elisabeth Davis, Maddux Erhardt, Katie Folkmann, Brandis Gerber, Elly Gloede, Hannah Haisman, Hannah Kalous, Aleigha Maddox, Brooklyn Staab, Kacie Strang, Rachel Tandy, Taylor Wheeler

Pre-Teen “All Orphans Considered” High Gold Rating, 3rd Runner Up High Point Pre-Teen Line

Taylor Berry, Baylee Bruce, Olivia Coder, Erin Cox, Faith Crawley, Elisabeth Davis, Alyssa Ellis, Elly Gloede, Brandis Gerber, Hannah Haisman, Cassie Hazen, Allissa Hendryx, Collin Henry, Hannah Kalous, Madeline Leroy, Brianna Lundvall, Aleigha Maddox, Shelby McDonald, Katie Noren, Lauren Price, Raeganne Neilson, Brooklyn Staab, Kacie Strang, Rachel Tandy, Ashlee Thomas, Taylor Wheeler, Morgan White, Madison Winter