ON THE ROAD AGAIN… TO NATIONALS
Gotta Dance Academy of Performing Arts LLC in Lancaster and their competition teams, duets, trios, and soloists are starting to practice, polish, plan, and prepare for their next competitive adventure….Nationals in Savanna, GA.
This season, the competitive students at Gotta Dance Academy have attended three regional competitions (Moline, IL, Davenport, IA, and McFarland, WI). Each of the competitions offers new opportunities, new stages to dance on, with new teams to compete against and different judges. These judges have differing dance backgrounds and offer a wide variety of constructive remarks to help the dancers perform to the best of their abilities in every style of dance.
There have been many highlights for the competitive teams this year, one is that their Hip-Hop Team (dancing to “Drumline”), in their inaugural season, has earned many accolades. The team has placed first at every competition this season, received a Platinum adjudication at every competition this season, received the “Ultimate Champion Award” as the highest scoring routine in the entire Shooting Star teen division at Beyond the Stars Dance Competition, and received a special judges award for being a “Throwback Thriller”.
Brooks Uppena is a member of the aforementioned Hip Hop Team. This is his second year competing competitively and he is absolutely enjoying it!
His older brother, Easton Uppena, has also qualified for nationals as a soloist. This is Easton’s second year competing as a soloist and he has shown such a growth in stage presence with his number this year, “Boy Band Medley”. Easton Received a 1st place overall in the Outstanding vocalist category and received a Platinum. He also received Platinum and second place at the most recent competition, against many dancers. Easton participates in the song and dance category, where he impresses each and every time he performs!
The Gotta Dance Studio was also awarded a Sportsmanship Award this season. With kids on the team like Brooks and Easton, it’s not a surprise they earned this award.
Easton and Brooks look forward to sharing the news of their nationals results, with Cassville, in early July!
