Dancers from Center Stage Dance Company in China Grove recently were crowned overall national champions during the Encore dance competition.
The dancers traveled to Savannah, Ga. for the five days that concluded on July 3 with a standing ovation showdown between the top 10 routines of the competition.
Center Stage’s two routines that vied for the title, $1000 cash prize and a national print ad, were Burn The Floor and Make It Tap.
The dancers in Burn The Floor, which featured every competition dancer from Center Stage, were awarded the trophy and prizes.
The groups were judged on entertainment value, star quality, technique and overall appeal by a panel of judges from New York and Los Angeles.
In addition, Burn The Floor received a diamond placement award in the highest level of competition, the elite level. This number also won the award for best junior choreography by Center Stage instructors.
Dillon Stevens placed first overall in the senior solo division for the event, performing Love Me Or Leave Me, showcasing his skills in tap, broadway jazz, and tumbling.
He received a diamond placement award and a special judges’ award as the Gene Kelly Award.
Stevens, competing at the elite level, was three points from a perfect score and was the highest scoring senior dance of all the solos, duets and groups of all sizes in the senior division.
The small teen group Make It Tap was selected by the judges to compete in the standing ovation showdown, and received a diamond award during the competition phase, finished second overall and was awarded the best teen choreography for instructor Sydney Overcash’s work.
Center Stage soloist Cierra Stubbs received a platinum award for her tap solo, ranking third overall as well as receiving a special judges’ award for being a Dynamic Diva on stage.
Soloist Parker Stelmack returned with a diamond award for her open category solo and finished fourth overall for the week.
Soloists Ally Howard and Hannah Stevens were awarded platinum awards for their solos.
Competing with a jazz trio were Ella Doby, Zander Rabon and Heather Young, receiving a platinum award for their performance and ranking second overall in the petite division.
Parker Stelmack and Hannah Stevens were awarded a diamond award for their open duet in the junior elite division and ranked second overall.
Paige Hartsell and Holly Beaver were presented a platinum award for their lyrical duet in Savannah.
The teen tap super group of Feet Talkin’ Brown finished in the top first overall spot of their division.
The senior lyrical group of Dancing was awarded a platinum performance and also finished in the first overall position.
The teen hip hop number Off Their Rockers was presented a diamond award and finished in the second overall position.
The teen open category lyrical number Elaborate Lives also received a diamond award and ranked fourth overall.
Other dances from Center Stage receiving the highest diamond award were Let’s Go Hard, Where’s Waldo and The Fighting Irish.
The junior hip hop number All Aboard was awarded a platinum award and finished first overall in their division.
The petite hip hop number Lil’ Red In The Hood returned with a platinum award, finishing third overall and a special judges’ award of New Take On An Old Classic.
Receiving platinum awards were Soul Man ranking fifth overall, Troop 5678 ranking seventh overall and At The Mall ranking ninth overall.
The Center Stage dancers were accompanied to Savannah for the event by staff members Sydney Overcash, Katherine O’Dell, Sammie Abernathy and Sandy Overcash.