Press Release

Hello Dancers and Dance families - here is the press release that should be appearing (in some version) in your local paper soon.

Robin’s School of Dance Has Record Year at Nationals

Robin’s School of Dance in Sioux Center had a record year at the Dance America National Finals in Orlando, Florida, bringing home a total of 10 national championships.

Twenty one dancers from the Sioux Center and Rock Rapids studios traveled to Orlando in the first week of July for the competition. “We have dancers of all levels at the studio,” says studio director Robin Van Es. “Every year we have dancers who are in dance for recreation or socialization, but a certain number of our students want to dance competitively, and Nationals is a perfect showcase for that.”

The road to Nationals started last August, with auditions being held for placements into competition groups. The dancers then attended qualifying competitions in Omaha and Minneapolis, where judges’ scores earned them the privilege of competing at Nationals. The dancers rehearsed during the school year, but when their year-end recitals were over, they really stepped up the practices. The studio was open for up to ten hours a day for the 3 weeks prior to Nationals, and was always busy with students perfecting their performances. While not everyone who qualified for Nationals attended the event, Van Es notes that the studio still had great participation. “Dancers in our company groups aren’t required to participate at Nationals, it is a choice. Next year, Nationals are in Chicago, so we’re looking forward to sending a big group there!”

Eleven dancers from the studio were selected as semi-finalists for Dancer of The Year (DOTY). These dancers spent 2 extra days in Orlando, participating in interviews, jazz combinations, and performing a solo for the judges. Each of those 3 items comprised a portion of a total score that ranked the semi-finalists among their peers across the country. DOTY semi-finalists also learned a special routine that was performed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. DOTY semi-finalists included Trey Peterson and Madison Rozeboom – Petite Dancer of the Year, Payton Suter, Bryn Groff, Jenny Crumrine, Alex Huss, Cambree Huss, Cole Peterson and Kirbee VanDeBerg – Junior Dancer of the Year, and Jordan Peterson and Kym Peters – Senior Dancer of the Year.

At the end of 4 days of competition, Robin’s School of Dance also had one of their group routines, “Rama Lama (Bang Bang)” selected for performance at the Hollywood Studios showcase. Area dancers participating in National Championship winning performances included; Trey Peterson, Jordan Peterson, Cole Peterson, Jenny Crumrine, Cambree Huss, Kirbee VanDeBerg, Alex Huss, and Shelby VanDenBerg of Sioux Center, Bryn Groff of Sheldon, Brooke VanderPloeg of Hospers, Madison Rozeboom and Payton Suter of Rock Valley, Megan VanderEsch of Hull, Kym Peters and Jake Peters of LeMars, Jennifer Henrich of Alton, and Mickee Witt, Makayla Witt, Elizabeth Ratzloff, Alison Wright and Hannah Sieperda of Rock Rapids.

Robin’s School of Dance started a new season on September 7 in its Sioux Center and Rock Rapids locations.