Dancers shine on stage

Hundreds of dancers from across the region graced the stage at the West Gippsland Arts Centre during the September school holidays, showcasing their talents in ballet, jazz, tap, neo-classical, song and dance, contemporary, hip hop and more at the West Gippsland Dance Festival.

The annual festival was held between Friday September 18 and Sunday September 27.

The following is a list of first place results.
SOLOS
Classical
6 years and under open – Marlowe Van Pelt, Mia Mehmetoglu; 7 years novice – Summer Waddell; 7 years open – Raph Innes; 8 years novice – Ariana Coyle; 8 years open – Sophie Kenna, Elsi Mutucumarana; 9 years novice – Rose Vagg; 9 years open – Lily Mehmetoglu, Amelia Lindsey; 10 years novice - Milla Antunes; 10 years open – Abigail Day;
11 and 12 years novice – Alexis Hiam; 11 years open – Elise Stalker; 12 years open – Ebony Lee, Julia Zhukova; 13 years open – Sophie Cornelissen; 14 years open – Macy Stalker; 15 years open – Ava Scott; 16 years and over open – Lucie Doody.
Demi-character
6 years and under open – Marlowe Van Pelt; 7 and 8 years novice – Elsi Mutucumarana; 7 and 8 years open – Sophie Kenna; 9 and 10 years novice – Capri McGrath; 9 years open – Lily Mehmetoglu; 10 years open – Estelle Gaget; 11 and 12 years novice – Wendy Van Der Put; 11 years open – Elise Stalker; 12 years open – Haven Smith; 13 years open – Kayla Paturzo; 14 years open – Macy Stalker; 15 years and over open – Sophie Perez.
Modern-Jazz
6 years and under open – Molly Jenkin-Killeen, Marlowe Van Pelt; 7 and 8 years novice – Wei Fang, Millie Clough; 7 years open – Audrey Partridge; 8 years open – Lily Moschitz, Violet Paturzo; 9 years novice – Suheli Hertiarachchi, Audrey Rodda; 9 years open – Capri McGrath; 10 years novice – Lily Snowball; 10 years open – Abigail Day; 11 years novice – Evie Mitchell; 11 years open – Everly Ades; 12 years novice – Lexi Borthwick; 12 years open – Haven Smith; 13 years open – Georgia Harris; 14 years open – Ayasha Ursa Nugroho; 15 years open – Georgia Williams; 16 years open – Bella Gaylard; 17 years and over – Savannah Laurito.
Broadway Jazz
10 years and under – Jade Brodrick; 12 years and under – Elise Stalker; 13 years – Kayla Paturzo; 14 years – Ayasha Ursa Nugroho; 15 years – Emmerson Ward;
16 years and over – Savannah Laurito.
Song and Dance
8 years and under – Audrey Partridge; 9 and 10 years – Milla Atunes; 11 and 12 years – Jersey Jardim; 13 and 14 years – Skye Ingram; 15 years and over – Zuriyah Shirt.
Tap
6 years and under – Marlowe Van Pelt; 7 and 8 years – Mackenzie Meacham; 9 years – Stella Kheissy; 10 years – Scarlett Coignet; 11 years – Tahlia Skarajew; 12 years – Charlee Woods; 13 and 14 years – Axel Shirt; 15 years and over – Eleanor Baxter.
National
9 and under 13 years – Lily Williams; 13 years and over – Anna Ingram.
Neo-classical
6 years and under open – Marlowe Van Pelt; 7 and 8 years novice – Mila Moore, Elena Kara; 7 years open – Maya Wallace; 8 years open – Sophie Kenna; 9 and 10 years novice – Abigail Day, Mila Brown; 9 years open – Amelia Lindsey; 10 years open – Estelle Gaget; 11 and 12 years novice – Remi Raus; 11 years open – Elise Stalker; 12 years open – Julia Zhukova; 13 years open – Sophie Cornelissen; 14 years open – Macy Stalker; 15 years open – Ava Scott; 16 years and over open – Lucie Doody.
Contemporary
9 and 10 years – Abigail Day; 11 years – Elise Stalker; 12 years – Haven Smith; 13 years – Jenna Lewis, Luke McGann; 14 years – Macy Stalker; 15 years – Makayla Healy, Allirah Pfister; 16 years – Lucy Phillips; 17 years and over – Savannah Laurito.
Lyrical
7 and 8 years novice – Remy Felvus; 7 and 8 years open – Issie Bennett; 9 and 10 years novice – Lily Mehmetoglu; 10 years and under open – Abigail Day; 11 years novice – Jade Giliam; 11 years open – Elise Stalker; 12 years novice – Julia Zhukova; 12 years open – Ebony Lee; 13 years open – Kayla Paturzo, Yumali Hertiarachchi; 14 years open – Mia Blandford, Macy Stalker; 15 years open – Ava Scott, Georgia Williams; 16 years open – Lucie Doody; 17 years and over – Savannah Laurito.
Hip Hop
10 years and under – Charlotte Shepherdson; 11 and 12 years – Indiana Cadd; 13 and 14 years – Skye Ingram; 15 years and over open – Bella Gaylard.
Classical variation
12 years and under – Elise Stalker; 13 years and over – Georgia Williams.
Improvisations
10 years and under lyrical/contemporary – Estelle Gaget; 10 years and under modern jazz – Lily Mehmetoglu; 12 years and under classical – Elise Stalker; 12 years and under tap – Stella Kheissy; 12 years and under modern jazz – Elise Stalker; 12 years and under lyrical/contemporary – Elise Stalker; 13 years and over modern jazz – Savannah Laurito; 13 years and over lyrical/contemporary – Savannah Laurito.
DUOS/TRIOS
Modern-Jazz
10 years and under – Amelia Lindsey, Capri McGrath, Gracie Thomas and Darcy Schmidt, Mila Moore; 12 years and under – Eden Thomas, Wendy Van Der Put; 14 years and under – Cailin Richards, Isla Gordon; 15 years and over – Ebony Ricupito, Lucie Doody, Savannah Laurito.
Demi-character
12 years and under – Eliza Judd, Phoebe Orger; 13 years and over – Angela Phillips, Jenna Lewis.
Song and Dance
12 years and under – Alexis Hiam, Elise Stalker; 13 years and over – Anna Ingram, Emmerson Ward, Lucy Phillips.
Tap
12 years & under – Cailin Richards, Emmeline Coignet; 13 years & over – Mia Blandford, Skye Ingram.
Neo-classical - Lyrical
10 years and under – Estelle Gaget, Penelope Baker; 12 years and under – Lily Snowball, Remi Raus; 14 years and under – Angela Phillips, Jenna Lewis; 15 years and over – Elyse Marasigan, Suah Lee.
Contemporary
14 years and under – Mia Blandford, Skye Ingram; 15 years and over – Anna Ingram, Lucy Phillips.
Hip Hop
12 years and under – Jersey Jardim, Olivia Stevens; 13 years and over – Anna Ingram, Emmerson Ward.
TROUPES
Classical - Demi-character
6 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 8 years and under – KC's School of Dance.
Classical
10 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 13 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 16 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance.
Neo-classical
6 years and under – Karlie Grace Dancers School of Performing Arts; 8 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 10 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 13 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; 16 years and under – KC's School of Dance; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance.
Lyrical
10 years and under – KC's School of Dance; 13 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; 16 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; open age – Dance on Academy.
Contemporary
10 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 13 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; 16 years and under – Dance on Academy; open age – Dance on Academy.
National
13 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; open Age – KC's School of Dance A.
Modern-Jazz
6 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; 8 years and under – Karlie Grace Dancers School of Performing Arts; 10 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 13 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance; 16 years and under – Karlie Grace Dancers School of Performing Arts; open age – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance.
Tap
8 years and under – KC's School of Dance; 10 years and under – KC's School of Dance; 13 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; 16 years and under – Suzie Ryrie School of Dance; open age – KC's School of Dance.
Song and Dance
8 years and under – KC's School of Dance; 10 years and under – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dane; 13 years and under – KC's School of Dance; 16 years and under – KC's School of Dance; open Age – Dance on Academy.
Broadway Jazz
13 years and under – KC's School of Dance; 16 years and under – KC's School of Dance; open age – Dance on Academy.
Hip Hop
13 years and under – KC's School of Dance A; 16 years and under – Suzie Ryrie School of Dance; open age – Dance on Academy.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Junior Classical Championship – Elise Stalker
Intermediate Classical Championship – Macy Stalker
Senior Classical Championship – Sophie Perez
Junior Modern Championship – Elise Stalker
Intermediate Modern Championship – Mia Blandford
Senior Modern Championship – Savannah Laurito
Junior Tap Championship – Tahlia Skarajew
Senior Tap Championship – Axel Shirt
Senior Contemporary/Lyrical Championship – Anna Ingram
WGDF Scholarship in memory of Barb Phillippi: – Ayasha Ursa Nugroho
AGE AGGREGATE AWARDS
6 years and under – Marlowe Van Pelt
7 and 8 years novice – Summer Waddell, Remy Felvus
7 years open – Audrey Partridge
8 years open – Sophie Kenna
9 and 10 years novice – Audrey Rodda, Lily Snowball
9 years open – Amelia Lindsey
10 years open – Estelle Gaget
11 and 12 years novice – Jade Giliam
11 years open – Elise Stalker
12 years open – Haven Smith
13 years open – Sophie Cornelissen, Kayla Paturzo
14 years open – Macy Stalker
15 years open – Georgia Williams
16 years open – Lucie Doody
17 years and over – Savannah Laurito
ADJUDICATORS' AWARDS
6 years and under – Hallie Felvus
7 and 8 years novice – Elsi Mutucumarana
7 years open – Issie Bennett
8 years open – Ivy Dunstan
9 and 10 years novice – Lily Mehmetoglu
9 years open – Stella Kleissy
10 years open – Milla Antunes
11 and 12 years novice – Lux Matheson
11 years open – Everly Ades
12 years open – Ebony Lee
13 years open – Annaliese Marshall
14 years open – Aysha Ursa Nugroho
15 years open – Allirah Pfisher
16 years open – Lucy Phillips
17 years and over – Mia Seymour
Adjudicators Award for Choreography – Routine: Bye Bye Blackbird/solo
Choreography: Tayla Degen
Dancer: Ayasha Ursa Nugroho
School: Evolve Performing Arts
Carol Holman Memorial Award – Elise Stalker
Teachers' solo/duo/trio aggregate – Joanne O'Kelly School of Dance
Teachers' troupe aggregate – KC's School of Dance
Dancer of the Day 'Love of Dance' Award
September 18 – Velvet Sverdvik
September 19 – Jade Giliam
September 20 – Sasha Cole-Peroumal
September 21 – Lily Mowbray
September 22 – Madelyn Thomas
September 23 – Jersey Jardim
September 24 – Amelia Bennetto
September 25 – Molly Commerford
September 26 – Lexi Gray
September 27 – Amelia McGill