These ballerinas know a thing or two about competing on a national stage – and they have the awards to prove it.
Sadie and Alice Foster, Mackenzie and Scarlette Moloney, Addison Johns and Kiara Mitchell started 2017 on a high after strong performances at the Follow Your Dreams national dance competition in Ballarat.
The dancers, who practice between 10 and 15 hours a week at Werribee’s Volar Dance Centre, were thrilled with their achievements.
Sadie, 10, came in first in her age category for classical dance, and also received honourable mentions in the lyrical and contemporary divisions, plus an overall “expressive heart award”.
Nine-year-old Addison also scored first place for her neoclassical performance, in which she danced the Aladdin song A whole new world. She also placed third in the classical category.
Meanwhile, Scarlette placed second in the classical category, Mackenzie was a third place-getter for her neoclassical performance and received the star award for her portrayal of Goldilocks, while Kiara placed second in contemporary dance and received honourable mentions for jazz and her own choreographed piece.
Alice won a star award for her portrayal of Pippy Longstockings, and received honourable mentions for classical and neoclassical dances.
“It was lots of fun,” Mackenzie said.
“There was some very strong dancing.”
It’s the first time most of the dancers, except for Kiara, had competed at a national level.
The girls all admitted to some level of nerves on the day, but all were there to support one another through their respective performances.
“We all stood on the side of the stage when someone was dancing from our dance school,” Scarlette said.
