News : Midwest Starz: Cooling Dancers win national championships

'Born to Entertain:' 4th place runner-up honorees

'Dreams'

'I'm Yours

'I Want'

Joshuah Rivera, 8, holds the High Point Championship Trophy.

'For Once in My Life'

'Storm Warning:' This group earned 4th runner-up honors.

'Sugar, Sugar:' These Cooling Dancers won the National High Point Trophy for their age division.

The Cooling Dancers of Vinton had a highly successful weekend competing June 12-13 in Wisconsin Dells, WI at the “Midwest Starz” Nationals. Qualifying regional area routines from 52 studios competed at the four day event. The Cooling Dancers competed in Small Group division (4 to 9 dancers,) Large Group (10-18 dancers,) and Line (20-39 dancers) categories.

Judges for the event were Sarah Staker of the NYC Radio City Rockettes, Travis Onellion of 213 Productions in Las Vegas, NV, Matthew Peacock, choreographer for the hit show GLEE, Josette Owens of the Joffrey Ballet of NYC, Paul Sandler Jr. of the Cleveland School of the Arts, and Sarah Grooms also of the Radio City Rockettes. Scoring was based on dance technique, stage presentation, and costume.

Routines were judged individually in all dance styles, and then all styles were combined to award the top 5 winning “High Point” entries in each age group.

Twenty young Cooling dancers brought home the National Championship High Point trophy in the Mini age division for their jazz routine “Sugar Sugar.” Dancers in the routine included Taryn Ambrose, Izzie Birker, Addyson Chvala, Peytin Clemensen, Alana Fleming, Kaiya Gralund, Carmen Henkle, Kira Jacobs, Mia Jacobs, Julia Johnson, Haylee Karr, Mallory Kenny, Samantha Lundvall, Chloe Mossman, Karsyn Nichol, Julia Paine, Joshuah Rivera, Rachel Rollinger, and Sophia Vasquez.

Shown representing the High Point Championship Trophy for his line is Joshuah Rivera, 8, of the Cooling Dance Center. Runner up in the division (girl pictured next to Joshuah) went to Plie Dance Studio of Stillwater, MN for their routine “99 Red Balloons.”

In Large Group Mini, the Cooling Dancers placed as 4th Runner Up High Point with their tap routine “Born to Entertain.” These dancers included Claire Booth, Emma Fry, Grace Gilbaugh, Brooke Johnston, Megan Kenny, Raeganne Neilson, Karsyn Nichol, Elsa Page, Jenna Pattee, Kaicee Paulsen, Lacey Stout, Ashlee Thomas, Mila VanWeelden, and Baylee Wheeler.

In Pre-Teen Line, Cooling Dance also placed as 4th Runner-Up in High Point overall for their novelty jazz entry “Storm Warning.” Dancers included Baylee Bruce, Charley Cooling, Kelli Cox, Newelle Dalton, Riley Davis, Madalynn Farmer, Cassandra Hazen, Abbye Hendryx, Allissa Hendryx, Collin Henry, Randi Jenkins, Leah Kaufman, Allison Kemp, Brianna Lundvall, Lillis Markey, Shelby McDonald, Katie Noren, Lauren Price, Lauren Paine, Lydia Radeke, Taylor Shipley, Cameryn Stephens, Hailey Stephens, Chelsee Tharp, Amy Thomas, Nicki Thomas, Max Vasquez, Morgan White, and Madison Winter.

Other Cooling Dance Center entries all receiving excellent high gold ratings and medals included:

“I’m Yours” Zena Aragon, Brylee Bruce, Alyssa Griffith, Raeganne Neilson, Elsa Page, Ella VanWeelden.

“Dreams” Maddie Farmer, Kayla Griffith, Abbye Hendryx, Randi Jenkins, Allison Kemp, Lillis Markey, Lauren Paine, Lydia Radeke, Libby Setter, Taylor Shipley, Callie Taylor, Lynda Taylor, Ashlee Thomas, Nicole Thomas, Molly Tschantz

“I Want” Leah Bohnsack, Newelle Dalton, Franki Evans, Hannah Houtakker, Kailey Lazenby, Kaylee Sorum, Jayden Steffen, Chelsee Tharp, Lauren Upmeyer, Piper Wiedenhoff.

“For Once in My Life” Charley Cooling, Kelli Cox, Maddux Erhardt, Kaitlyn Halstead, Allissa Hendryx, Collin Henry, Cassandra Hazen, Leah Kaufman, Brianna Lundvall, Shelby McDonald, Katie Noren, Lauren Price, Rylee Stout, Amy Thomas, Morgan White.