Dance Expression students excel in competition
Hamburg. Meghan Mihalik of Lafayette was named Miss Senior DanceXplosion 2021. Students won overall high scores in all divisions.
Wantage /
| 26 Apr 2021 | 02:48
“Daughters of Mary” (Photo provided)
Meghan Mihalik of Lafayette (Photo provided)
Erin King of Vernon (Photo provided)
Teagan Skretkowicz of Hardyston (Photo provided)
“Rainbow Connection” (Photo provided)
Veda Igieski of Oak Ridge (Photo provided)
Meghan Mihalik of Lafayette, Miss Senior DanceXplosion 2021 (Photo provided)
Students from Dance Expression in Hamburg competed in the DanceXplosion contest held on April 18 at the Hilton Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., earning two Excalibur Awards plus overall high scores in all divisions, choreography, entertainment, and special awards.
In addition, graduating senior dancer Meghan Mihalik of Lafayette was named Miss Senior DanceXplosion 2021.
Here’s how the Dance Expression students placed:
Xtreme (Advanced Division, Senior)
● First Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Miss Senior DanceXplosion and Beauty in Motion Special Award, Senior Modern Solo: “Cycle,” Meghan Mihalik of Lafayette
● Fourth Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Senior Tap Solo: “New York State of Mind,” Julia Chmielowiec of Vernon
● Second Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Senior Tap Duet: “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Alexa Gutt of Hardyston and Julia Chmielowiec of Vernon
● Third Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Senior Jazz Duet: “Feeling Good,” Meghan Mihalik of Lafayette and Alyssa Cohan of Hardyston
● Fourth Overall — Xtreme Platinum and “Smooth as Silk” Special Award, Senior Modern Duet: “Dark Sanctuary,” Ciara Brock and Emma McKeon, both of Vernon
● First Overall — Xtreme Platinum and Excalibur Award (highest score for all 13+ advanced entries) and Choreography Award for Senior Small Group Modern: “Daughters of Mary”
● Third Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Senior Small Group Modern: “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”
● Second Overall — Senior Large Group Modern: “Light Moving”
● Fifth Overall — Senior Large Group Lyrical: “Run”
● First Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Senior Line Contemporary: “Lung”
● Second Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Senior Line Tap: “Smooth Sailing”
Xtreme (Advanced Division, Teen)
● Second Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Teen Modern Solo: “The Promise” – Sarah Philback of Hardyston
● Sixth Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Teen Modern Solo: “Softly” – Alexa Gutt of Hardyston
● Classic Jazz Award to Teen Xtreme Jazz Solo: “Cabaret,” Olivia Owens of Hamburg
● First Overall — Xtreme Platinum and Complete Connection Special Award, Teen Contemporary Duet: “You’re Somebody Else,” Alexa Gutt and Sarah Philback
● First Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Teen Small Group Lyrical: “Heaven I Know”
● First Overall — Xtreme Platinum, Teen Production: “A Chorus Line”
● Second Overall — Xtreme Platinum and Entertainment Award, Teen Production: “High School Musical”
Xcellerated (Intermediate Division, Senior)
● First Overall — Platinum, Teen Open Duet, “Doodlin,” Julia Chmielowiec and Kaela Brunner
Xcellerated (Intermediate Division, Teen)
● First Overall — Platinum and “You Own the Stage” Special Award, Teen Tap Solo: “Bounce Me Brother,” Erin King of Vernon
● Fourth Overall — Platinum, Teen Ballet Solo: “Morning,” Kaela Brunner of Wantage
● Eighth Overall — Platinum, Teen Jazz Solo: “I’m Beginning to See the Light,” Isabella Capriglione of Hardyston
● First Overall — Platinum, Teen Jazz Duet: “Big Finish,” Julia Paton and Erin King, both of Vernon
● Fourth Overall — Platinum, Teen Modern Duet: “Space Between,” Miranda Smith and Sabrina Smith of Sparta
● Fifth Overall — Xtreme Gold, Teen Jazz Duet: “Jet Set,” Alexandra Portante of Wantage and Sabrina Smith of Sparta
● First Overall — Platinum, Teen Small Group Lyrical: “Fields of Gold”
● First Overall — Platinum, Teen Large Group Contemporary: “Cosmic Love”
● Fifth Overall — Xtreme Gold, Teen Large Group Tap: “Save the World”
● First Overall — Platinum, Teen Modern Line and Choreography Winner: “Prayer,” choreography by Ellen Decker
● Second Overall — Platinum, Teen Hip Hop Line: “Nasty”
Xcellerated (Intermediate Division, Junior)
● First Overall — Platinum, Junior Jazz Solo: “Zazz,” Veda Igieski of Oak Ridge
● Fourth Overall — Platinum and Beauty and Grace Award, Junior Lyrical Solo: “White Clouds,” Julia Myers of Vernon
Rising Star (Novice Division, Teens)
● First Overall — Platinum, Teen Tap Small Group: “Swing Brother Swing”
● Second Overall — Xtreme Gold and Classic Style Award, Teen Jazz Small Group: “Riviera Life”
Rising Star (Novice Division, Junior)
● First Overall — Platinum, Junior Tap Solo: “Everybody Loves My Baby,” Teagan Skretkowicz of Hardyston
● Seventh Overall — Platinum, Junior Hip Hop Solo: “G-Slide: - Kaylee Vonsee of Vernon
● Tenth Overall — Platinum, Junior Ballet Solo: “Anne’s Polka,” Rylee Covert of Sussex
● First Overall — Platinum, Junior Jazz Duet: “A Little Party,” Calleigh Brown of Vernon and Aria Dalio of Sparta
● Fourth Overall — Platinum, Junior Jazz Duet: “Do It Like This,” Kaylee Vonsee of Vernon and Rylee Covert of Sussex
● “Lift My Spirit” Award to Junior Rising Star Jazz Duet: “I Just Want to be Happy,” Rylee Bambara of Augusta and Leilani Gonzalez of Wantage
● First Overall — Platinum Excalibur Award (highest score for all 12 and under novice entries) and Perfect Port de Bra Special Award, Junior Modern Small Group: “Rainbow Connection”
● First Overall — Platinum- Junior Lyrical Large Group: “What a Wonderful World”
● Second Overall — Platinum, Junior Hip-Hop Large Group: “Here I Come”
● Third Overall — Platinum, Junior Jazz Large Group: “Mambo Italiano”
● Fourth Overall — Xtreme Gold, Junior Tap Large Group: “Jailhouse Rock”
Rising Star (Novice Division, Petite)
● Third Overall — Xtreme Gold, Petite Tap Small Group: “Old MacDonald”
● Fourth Overall — Xtreme Gold, Petite Hip Hop Small Group: “Quarantine Bop”
● Second Overall — Xtreme Gold, Petite Jazz Large Group: “Boogie Fever”
Additional Special Award
● Studio Award for Excellence in Modern