Danza Academy holds annual Choreography Competition

Danza Academy recently held its Annual Choreography Competition at the Inces Hall.

The Academy has held this competition for over 25 years and believes it aids young dancers not only develop their choreography skills but think of the overall staging of their work, the initial concept, lighting, sound, make up and costume.

The competition also has an Improvisation Category.

The Pre School and Reception children opened the night with displays of simple choreographies.

These were followed by 25 competitive entries which were divided according to their age groups.

“Danza Academy is proud to provide students the perfect platform to stage their own work,” said Danza Academy Director Anne Marie Gomez.

“Being able to create and stage is highly valued in the competitive dance world. We can confidently say that we are not only creating excellent dancers but great creators.”

“The Choreography Competition also makes young dancers aware of performance concepts like expression, musicality, dynamics and spacial awareness. Developing these strands makes their dancing in general much richer.”

“Usually students don’t get a chance to perform live in small groups and the Competition also offers them this stage opportunity. Every year the work simply gets better and Zulieka and I are greatly moved when we see the polished product on the night.”

“The students work is of such high standard that on occasions with a little tweaking the Choreographies have won major international Dance Competitions such as Global Dance and The International Dance Federation World Dance Championships. Dance students gain great confidence and learn most valuable dance and life skills from this popular event."

The event was compared by Zulieka Green and judges on this occasion were Alfred Rumbo Producer of Danza's Productions, Danza past pupil Erica Mc Grail who studied at Laine Theatre Arts and is currently a Dance and Drama teacher at Westside School, Ileana Martinez present Danza performer who studied at The London Studio Centre, Nicola Dewar Danza a performer who has played many main roles in Danza Productions, and Derek Desoiza Director of The Innovations Dance Company.

Choreography Competition Results:

School Yrs 1-4
1st - Jada Mascarenhas and Talia Ochello - Puttin' on the Ritz
2nd - Erin Doherty - Rainbow
3rd - Amy Holmes - I see the light

School Yrs 5-7
1st - Celine Sciortino - The Show Must Go On
2nd - Analia Romero - Spider
2nd - Evie Rodriguez - King of Pain
3rd - Ruby Mc Grail - Rythm Nation

School Yrs 8-9
1st - Sebastian Diaz - Rumours
2nd - Elsa Parody - Diana
3rd - Maxine Sciortino - You Are Worth More
3rd - Kate Vinent, Ruby Mc Grail, Gemma Casciaro and Celine Sciortino - Confident

Improvisation Competition Results:

School Yrs 1-4
1st - Talia Ochello
2nd - Katie Durante
3rd - Amy Holmes
3rd - Alex Perry

School Yrs 5-7
1st - Ruby Mc Grail
2nd - Gemma Casciaro
3rd - Mya Micaleff
3rd - Evie Rodriguez

School Yrs 8-9
1st - Kate Vinent
2nd - Sebastian Diaz
3rd - Maxine Sciortino

Special Cups on the night:

The John Cortes Cup for The Most Theatrical Dancer - Lucia Diaz

The Henry Sacramento Cup for The Most Elegant Dancer - Amy Holmes

The Alfred Rumbo Cup for The Most Promising Dancer - Erin Doherty

The Lionel Perez Cup for The Most Creative Dancer - Ruby Mc Grail

The Derek Desoiza Cup for The Most Outstanding Dancer - Sebastian Diaz