Bringing the Heat this Summer

As classes resume on Monday, it's time to reflect on a great summer for DSD. In June we traveled to Disney, where we attracted a large crowd during our performance, rocked new moves at our workshop with a professional Disney dancer, and had a blast enjoying all the attractions with each other. We also had a a blast and learned so much with our very full schedule of summer classes!

A few of our team dancers continued their journeys after receiving special invitations at some of our competitions. Charlotte Madren represented Richmond as their Regional Champion at the Ignite Nationals Competition in Jacksonville, placing ninth in her category and winning a High Platinum award. This June she was chosen as one of their Ambassadors, meaning she will represent Ignite for this coming competitive season by assisting at conventions and with competition classes and awards. Virginia Nunnally and Rylee Hogge were invited to compete in the Southeast Showdown Legends Dance Competition. They had an interview, an audition and then presented their solos. Later in the summer Rylee was awarded 3rd runner up out of 18 semi-finalists in Dance Machine's America's Miss Dance Nationals Competition after winning a regional title at their Roanoke competition this spring. The rigorous competition included an interview, audition and solo performance, and she received special awards for both her interview and solo.

Former DSD students were on a roll too. DSD graduate Paige Lake earned her BFA with a Major in Dance from Radford University this spring, just after she traveled to New York City with Dawn to try out for the Rockettes. Bella Deem, anther DSD alum and a Dance Major at James Madison University, performed in NYC with the Joffrey Ballet School after auditioning and being selected for their Jazz & Contemporary summer intensive. Dawn, her husband Lin, and former DSD dancer Jenny Estok came to support Bella and see her perform in this amazing show this August.

To wrap up the summer we were invited by McDonald’s to entertain the crowd at their Back to School Night on August 22. DSD dancers Anna Baker and Rylee Hogge gave great performances right in the WP McDonald’s parking lot!

So proud of our DSD dancers, past and present! Can't wait to see what you accomplish in the coming year and beyond.