- Dancers from Center Stage Dance Company in China Grove competed at a national dance competition with Encore DCS in Charleston, S. C., June 26-29.

Approximately 90 dancers and families attended the national event with other dancers from across the country, as well as Canada.

Petite dancers competing in the 8 and under division returned as national champions.

The dancers in the jazz dance "Brand New Girlfriend" were presented a platinum award and first overall ranking.

Teen dancers performing in the musical theater number "Chicago" also won a platinum award and a first overall ranking.

The Outstanding Junior Choreography Award went to the junior dancers who performed the musical theater number "Mama Says." The dance was presented a platinum award and ranked second overall for the event.

The teen division dancers performed "Frankie's Nurses" and received a platinum award, second overall standings, and special recognition for the "Coolest Concept" in a dance.

Other dancers receiving platinum awards and top five national rankings were from "Burnin' Love," "Work A Lil' Somethin'," "Dating With No Dough," "Queen Of The Nile," "Not The Usual," "Funky Mosquito," and "Too Far."

In group competition, the studio received a total of 11 platinum awards. In the duet trio division, junior dancers Holly Beaver, Makenna Pate, and Dillon Stevens won a platinum award for their tap trio to "It Don't Mean A Thing." The three dancers ranked second overall nationally and received a special judges award for being a Total Package on the stage.

In the solo division, junior dancers Liza Eller and Dillon Stevens ranked tenth and second overall. Liza performed a musical theater number to "Second Hand Rose."

Sydney Overcash was the Center Stage choreographer. Instructors accompanying the Center Stage dancers were Patty Hudson and Kat O'Dell as well as Center Stage director, Sandy Overcash.- Dillon Stevens, 11-year-old son of Mark and Angie Stevens of China Grove, was the first recipient of the Naomi Calvert Outstanding Tapper Award at Encore Dance Competition of the Stars Nationals in Charleston, S. C., June 26-29.

The award was presented for the first time this year, in honor of one of the founding partners of the competition.

Stevens was presented a silver plaque and Encore DCS will be paying all of his competition entry fees for Encore regionals and nationals for the 2009 competition season.

He performed a tap solo to "Take Me Out" during the event. For his performance he received a platinum award and ranked second overall for all of the junior soloists ages 9 to 12. For the second year, Stevens is ranked second nationally among junior soloists.

Dillon is a student with Center Stage Dance Company in China Grove and was competing with his studio at Encore nationals. His solo choreographer and teacher is Sydney Overcash.

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