More than 500 dancers graced the West Gippsland Arts Centre stage for the annual West Gippsland Dance Festival during the school holidays.
The annual festival was held from September 15 to September 24 when dancers ranging from under six to 17-years and over showcased their talents in ballet, jazz, tap, neo-classical, song and dance, contemporary, hip hop and more.
The festival committee and volunteers, led by president Chloe Smethurst, worked tirelessly to stage the event for dance schools from across Gippsland and metropolitan areas.
Results:
SOLOS
Classical
6 years & under - Dakota Brown, Penelope Baker; 7 years & under 9 novice - Gracie Thomas; 7 years & under 9 open - Elise Stalker; 9 years & under 11 novice - Akira Rastogi; 9 years & under 11 open - Macey Andreana, Laikyn McGrath; 11 years & under 13 novice - Kalarni Brennan; 11 years & under 13 open - Georgia Williams; 13 years & under 15 novice - Suah Lee; 13 years & under 15 open - Sam McSweeney; 15 years & under 17 novice - Mackenzie Moloney; 15 years & under 17 open - Ashlea Rush; and, 17 years & over - Michaela Davidson.
Demi-Character
6 years & under - Amelia Lindsay; 7 years & under 9 novice - Gracie Thomas; 7 years & under 9 open - Elise Stalker; 9 years & under 11 novice - Emily Clark; 9 years & under 11 open - Macey Andreana; 11 years & under 13 novice - Isobel Harper; 11 years & under 13 open - Ava Scott; 13 years & under 15 novice - Amelie Weinert; 13 years & under 15 open - Lucie Doody; 15 years & under 17 open - Ashlea Rush; 17 years & over - Michaela Davidson.
Modern/Jazz
6 years & under - Sofia Kiseleva; 7 years & under 9 novice - Gracie Thomas; 7 years & under 9 open - Elise Stalker; 9 years & under 11 novice - Selene Gribbin, Yumali Hettiarachchi;
9 years & under 11 open - Laikyn McGrath, Mingyun Fang; 11 years & under 13 novice - Mia-Jane Kelly; 11 years & under 13 open - Charlotte Pichler, Macy Stalker; 13 years & under 15 novice - Elyse Marasigan; 13 years & under 15 open - Ebony Ricupito; 15 years & under 17 novice - Evie Pummell; 15 years & under 17 open - Ava Vilcins, Ayrlee Smith; 17 years & over - Lara Mellon.
Song & Dance
6 years & under - Sofia Kiseleva; 7 years & under 9 open - Tianna-Belle Trahar; 9 years & under 11 open - Axel Shirt; 11 years & under 13 open - Zuriyah Shirt; 13 years & under 15 open - Alexis Creasey; 15 years & under 17 open - Jessica Phillips; 17 years & over - Jake Russell.
Tap
6 years & under – Sofia Kiseleva; 7 years & under 9 novice – Ayla Van Pelt; 7 years & under 9 open – Tianna-Belle Trahar; 9 years & under 11 novice – Daphne Van Hoorn; 9 years & under 11 open – Axel Shirt; 11 years & under 13 novice – Harleen Kaur Senghera; 11 years & under 13 open – Kristina Kiseleva; 13 years & under 15 novice – Alisha Kilpatrick;
13 years & under 15 open – Eleanor Baxter; 15 years & under 17 novice – Evie Pummell; 15 years & under 17 open – Cari Weybury; 17 years & over – Lara Mellon.
National
9 years & under 13 – Emmerson Ward; 13 years & over – Anna Ingram
Neo-classical
6 years & under open – Sofia Kiseleva; 7 years & under 9 novice – Elise Stalker; 7 years & under 9 open – Estelle Gaget; 9 years & under 11 novice – Olive Mottershead; 9 years & under 11 open – Charli Gray; 11 years & under 13 novice – Keira Richardson; 11 years & under 13 open – Ava Scott, Macy Stalker; 13 years & under 15 novice – Ella Clarke; 13 years & under 15 open – Sam McSweeney; 15 years & under 17 novice – Sophie Loft; 15 years & under 17 open – Jayla Balcombe; 17 years & over – Holly Phillips
Contemporary
9 years & under 11 open - Akira Rastogi; 11 years & under 13 novice – Anoushka Rastogi; 11 years & under 13 open - Lily Whitford; 13 years & under 15 novice - Elyse Marasigan; 13 years & under 15 open – Ebony Ricupito; 15 years & under 17 novice - Lucy Tucker; 15 years & under 17 open – Jayla Balcombe; 17 & over open – Lara Mellon.
Lyrical
9 years & under 11 novice – Isla Gordon; 9 years & under 11 open – Macey Andreana; 11 years & under 13 novice – Macy Stalker; 11 years & under 13 open – Ava Scott; 13 years & under 15 novice – Ella Kettyle; 13 years & under 15 open – Sam McSweeney, Lucie Doody; 15 years & under 17 novice – Lucy Tucker; 15 years & under 17 open – Jayla Balcombe, Cari Weybury; 17 years & over – Lara Mellon
Hip Hop
12 years & under open – Haven Smith; 13 years & over open – Pippa Young, Lara Mellon
IMPROVISATIONS
12 years & under classical - Macy Stalker; 12 years & under tap - Axel Shirt; 12 years & under modern Jazz - Elise Stalker; 12 years & under Lyrical/Contemporary - Macy Stalker; 13 years & over modern Jazz - Lucy Doody; 13 years & over Lyrical/Contemporary - Gerika Abbott
DUOS/TRIOS
Modern/Jazz
10 years & under – Cailin Richards, Isla Gordon and Poppy Ginsberg;12 years & under – Alexis Grayham and Claire Schram; 14 years & under – Eleanor Silk and Lola Buffington; 15 years & over – Chelsea Lees and Taya Cameron
Demi-Character
12 years & under – Lily Plunkett and Temperence Leeuw; 13 years & over – Anna Ingram and Lucy Phillips
Song & Dance
12 years & under – Abigail Winsall and Olivia Coombe; 13 years & over – Georgia Cumming, Holly Phillips and Sienna Christian
Tap
12 years & under – Abigail Winsall and Olivia Coombe; 13 years & over – Lucy McKenzie and Ruby Clifton
Neo-classical/Lyrical/Contemporary
10 years & under - Akira Rastogi and Yumali Hettiarachichi; 12 years & under – Abigail Winsall and Olivia Coombe; 14 years & under – Elyse Marasigan and Suah Lee; 15 years & over – Cari Weybury and Jessica Ryan
TROUPES
Classical
8 years & under – KC's School of Dance; 10 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 12 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 14 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Neo-classical
8 years & under – Karlie-Grace Dancers; 10 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 12 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 14 years & under – KC's School of Dance; open age – KC's School of Dance
Lyrical
12 years & under – KC's School of Dance; 14 years & under – Karlie-Grace Dancers; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Contemporary
12 years & under – Karlie-Grace Dancers; 14 years & under – LPD Studios; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
National
12 years & under – KC's School of Dance; open Age – KC's School of Dance
Modern
8 years & under – Karlie-Grace Dancers; 10 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 12 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 14 years & under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Tap
8 years & under – LPD Studios; 10 years & under – Suzie Ryrie School of Dance; 14 years & under – KC's School of Dance; open age – KC's School of Dance
Song & Dance
8 years & under – KC's School of Dance; 10 years & under – Suzie Ryrie School of Dance; 12 years & under – Dance On Academy; 14 years & under – KC's School of Dance; open Age – KC's School of Dance
Broadway Jazz
14 years & under – Karlie-Grace Dancers; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Hip Hop
14 years & under – Dance On Academy; open age – Dance On Academy
Championships
Junior classical championship – Macy Stalker
Intermediate classical championship – Sam McSweeney
Senior classical championship – Ashlea Rush
Junior modern championship – Emmerson Ward
Intermediate modern championship – Lucie Doody
Senior modern championship – Lara Mellon
Junior tap championship – Axel Shirt
Senior tap championship – Lara Mellon
Senior Contemporary/lyrical championship – Holly Phillips
WGDF Scholarship in memory of Barb Phillippi: Lara Mellon
Age Aggregate Awards
6 years & under – Sofia Kiseleva
7 years & under 9 novice – Gracie Thomas
7 years & under 9 open – Elise Stalker
9 years & under 11 novice – Emily Clark
9 years & under 11 open – Macey Andreana
11 years & under 13 novice – Kalarni Brennan
11 years & under 13 open – Ava Scott
13 years & under 15 novice – Elyse Marasigan
13 years & under 15 open – Sam McSweeney
15 years & under 17 novice – Lucy Tucker, Evie Pummell
15 years & under 17 open – Jayla Balcombe
17 years & over – Lara Mellon
Adjudicators' Awards
6 years & under – Penelope Baker
7 years & under 9 novice – Ayla Van Pelt
7 years & under 9 open – Matilda Smith
9 years & under 11 novice – Akira Rastogi
9 years & under 11 open – Axel Shirt
11 years & under 13 novice – Anoushka Rastogi
11 years & under 13 open – Georgia Williams
13 years & under 15 novice – Isabella Thompson
13 years & under 15 open – Lucie Doody
15 years & under 17 novice – Sophie Loft
15 years & under 17 open – Ashlea Rush
17 years & over – Holly Phillips
Adjudicators award for choreography - 14 & under modern/jazz troupes – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Carol Holman Memorial Award – Lara Mellon
Teachers solo/duo/trio aggregate – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Teachers troupe aggregate – KC's School of Dance
West Gippsland Dance Festival Committee 10 year award – Lisa Douglas, Jenny Hinsley
Life membership – Ray Johnson