Dance Fusion successfully competed in their last competition of the season on April 6th and 7th at Bethel Park High School in Pittsburgh PA.

“This weekend again was one of our most successful competitions,”said freshman Paige Shultz,”we have grown so much this season and I’m sad to see it end.”

The Platinum competition was set like the previous ones, however the awards differed due to another category, platinum plus added over top of a platinum. The team went home with every type of award.

This competition had over 400 entries and began bright and early Saturday morning. It then continued Sunday until 4 pm. Dance Fusion’s production line was the last dance of the competition.

Performances took place in the high school’s auditorium, with changing rooms in classrooms and the small auditorium. A Marley floor had been taped down on top of the wood so the dancers wouldn’t slip and the stage would be easier to dance on. Dance Fusion competed with their 14 competition group dances, seven solos, one duet, one trio.

The team ended this competition with five platinum pluses, four platinums, eleven high golds, and four golds. In addition to those, the team got six National Dance Team invites, and five judges choice awards.

“I’m so proud of how well everyone did this past competition,” said junior Natalie Berrena-Barr, “it was a great close to the season.”

The trio “Goosebumps” was given the Total Package Judges Award, small group dance “Cumulonimbus” was given the Elegant and Effortless Award, Natalie Berrena-Barr and Sage Rumberger’s duet “We Made a Choice” was awarded the Creative Connection Award. Natalie Berrena-Barr’s solo “Over Soon” was awarded the Beautiful Breath award and the senior jazz group dance “Ain’t Your Mama” was awarded the Sophisticated Ladies Award.

Dance Fusion also then completed the competition with five first place overall finishes. The first was “As Seen on TV” which was the team’s production, “Cumulonimbus” won the teen large group category. “Stay Who You Are” won the teen small group division, “Over Soon” won the Sr. Solo division and “We Made a Choice” won the teen duet category.

Choreography awards for excellence in ballet, modern and open was given to the dance “Unfollow the Leader” and the 12 and over Overall Choreography award was given to the dance “Cumulonimbus”. The Top Technique award and Highest Scoring Routine was the contemporary group dance “Stay Who You Are.”

The competition then came to a close and announced the teen title winners. These were chosen from the teen and senior solo category and winners won money and invitations to dance at workshops and conventions ran by the Platinum competition. Fourth place Miss Teen Platinum Runner up was eighth grader Sage Rumberger and third place Miss Senior Runner Up was junior Natalie Berrena-Barr.

“This season ended on a high, we won the whole competition with our dance ‘Stay Who You Are’ and it was fun because we had never been to this competition before,” said sophomore Thaydra Grazier, “I’m sad this year is over but I am ready to start next year!”