Including a moving tribute to former dancer Georgia Ogden
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Copyright : Street Dance Academy
110 dancers from Cheshire-based Street Dance Academy (SDA) competed in the Time2Shine annual national dance competition this weekend, picking up a phenomenal 15 trophies.
15 SDA teams – across three individual genres of dance including street, contemporary and commercial – grooved, strutted and flipped their way into five 1st, four 2nd and four 3rd place positions.
Held at Alton Towers, the competition hosted more than 800 dancers from 85 schools throughout Britain. Astraea, SDA’s Under 12’s Contemporary Beginners team formed between Lockdowns, performed at their first-ever public competition. Dancers as young as 7 took to centre-stage and were awarded 3rd place, much to the joy of their teacher, Ruby Rushton. But it wasn’t just the littlies taking trophies. The Prestige crew comprising of 8 groovy gals aged between 35 and over 50 are proof that age doesn’t matter when girls just a wanna have fun…dancing.
The school was also represented by 24 boys dispersed amongst three teams, with a hat-trick win for the lads. Aside 2 girls, the predominately boy crew New Funk took 1st place in the 17 and Over Advanced category one of the highly competitive categories.
A moving tribute from the Project G dance crew had the entire dance community in tears as SDA dancers performed a 2 & 1/2-minute street dance routine in memory of former member, 17-year-old Georgia Ogden. It is the first time the group has danced in a competition since the tragic loss in June 2020 of this much-loved and popular SDA dancer. Breaking down in tears at the end of the emotional performance, SDA dancers had put their hearts into this dance not for a medal, but for love.
Reflecting on the Project G performance, SDA Founder Julie Harris said:
“This was one of the most emotional and meaningful performances we have danced. We miss Georgia and we know she was dancing beside us”.
Julie went on to say:
“I could not be prouder of all my dancers and teachers and parents right now. It has been a tough 18 months. Many of the dancers took to the floor for the first time and even for our seasoned competitors it has been a long time between competitions. We were all nervous and super excited. The love and friendship everyone demonstrated this weekend, and the past 18 months, makes me proud beyond measure.”
Time2Shine organisers were pleased to see entrants from England, Scotland and Wales bring their sequins, lashes and leotards to the Staffordshire venue for the first event since March 2020.
Mark Johnson-Burnham, Organiser at Time2Shine said “We are still dancing with joy after the weekend’s event. It was an emotional comeback to public competition. We could feel the passion, love and energy from the dancers, teachers and audience alike. The atmosphere was electric. A real celebration”.
Judging the awards, four acclaimed professionals Ryan Jenkins, Emma Houston, Vivian Gayle and Alanna Kajdi marked contestants on performance, choreography, creativity, originality and technique.
Judge Alanna Kajdi commented:
“A wonderful weekend, full of talent, impressive creativity and lots of smiling faces. I feel very privileged to have seen all the amazing hard work this weekend. Well done everyone!”
SDA train between Monday and Saturday across Sandbach, Crewe, Shavington and Holmes Chapel with classes for beginners, through to advanced. Classes include all street styles, commercial and contemporary.
