TV news-themed performance leads LI dance team to world championship
The performance, called "In The News," was more than a year in the making. A total of 35 dancers participated ranging in age from 6 to 17.
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The competition team at Prestige Performing Arts in East Northport can now call themselves world champions after winning first place overall at the World Dance Championship.
The competition took place last Thursday in New Jersey.
"It's an honor to be crowned world champions," says Jacqueline Mato, owner and director of Prestige Performing Arts.
The group took first place overall with a routine built around television news and a newscast.
"We came up with all these creative props. We had a video camera on stage, we had stage lighting, we had a news desk. We had our seniors play as news anchors," says Joe Mato, owner of Prestige Performing Arts.
The performance, called "In The News," was more than a year in the making. A total of 35 dancers participated ranging in age from 6 to 17.
"We built this dance from the ground up and countless hours drilling, rehearsing, learning new choreography," says dancer Ava Bulanowski. "It was difficult at times. But at the end, when we won, it was all worth it."
Every prop and ever detail helped bring the routine to life.
"The idea was to take like pieces of a real camera and to incorporate it into this makeshift fake, stage prop," says Joe Mato.
Hours and hours of rehearsals went into earning the first-place title.
"It's just such a rewarding feeling, especially winning after countless hours in the studio, working hard every single week," says Bulanowski.
"We're so proud of every single kid," says Jacqueline Mato. "It was absolutely amazing."
