PLANO DANCE STUDIO WINS NATIONALS
Dance Industry Performing Arts Center in Plano, Texas has been floating on a cloud since their trip to New York City to compete at NYC Dance Alliance national dance competition over the past 2 weeks. Competing regionally is always rewarding but competing at a National level takes the competition to a whole new echelon.
With all the hard work, extensive rehearsals, and training behind them, Dance Industry went to NY with one thing in mind and that was to make Dance Industry a nationally known and consistently recognized school for the Performing Arts. “We have always been known across the country for having refined dancers, but to take home two titles and a critic’s choice award really took the studio over and beyond “states Christy Wolverton (Owner and Director of Dance Industry).
There were 63 kids that traveled to NYC. While there they took class from the best teachers/choreographers in the business. They were adjudicated on class conduct, all styles of dance, and their solos. There were thousands of kids all over the country that competed in this competition and out of those dancers Dance Industry took home two titles and a National high score award among several other notably recognized awards. Mason Manning was awarded the title of Teen Male Outstanding Dancer, Ida Saki was chosen as the Senior female Outstanding Dancer. In addition, Ida Saki was also presented with a four year scholarship for half tuition to the University of the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Dance Industry’s group piece, "Family," was awarded the National Critics Choice Award for the overall high score in the Teen division. These kids train anywhere between 15-20 hours a week and take their craft very seriously.
“I am so happy that these kids are being recognized for their endless hard work. It makes the journey incredibly rewarding.” says Wolverton.
Source: http://www.neighborsgo.com/stories/39555
DANCER TAKING A GIANT LEAP
Owner of studio left stage life behind to guide young lives
By Lauren D’Avolio/The Dallas Morning News
Christy Wolverton-Davis’ students come to Dance Industry because of her demonstrated ability leading teams to national dance championships. They stay because of the personal relationship Ms. Wolverton-Davis cultivates with each dancer.
Ms. Wolverton-Davis, who owns the Plano dance studio, said dancing is important to help children find their fortes – even a place to belong. She said she teaches soft-spoken children – she used to be one – who are unrecognizable cutting loose on stage.
“When I found dance, I thought, ‘I’m OK at this.’ I found a love for it, my passion, my little niche,” she said. “These kids think, ‘I’m somebody. I’m part of something now.’ We want to set goals and try to help them achieve those goals.”
Ms. Wolverton-Davis, a 30-year-old Plano resident, took up dancing when she was “a little pup.” After high school, she moved to New York City and began training full force.
She’s performed in a Broadway review compilation, a Vegas-style show, the Brooks & Dunn video Beer 30 and has been a Dallas Mavericks cheerleader.
After she purged the “professional stuff” from her system at 24, she said, she tired of traveling and opted for the stabilizing yet risky move of opening her own studio.
“I never thought I would be as successful as I am,” she said. “I start teaching them at 3, then the next thing I know, they’re talking about some boy they’re dating.”
Ms. Wolverton-Davis has about 10 professional dancers and office workers on staff and roughly 400 students, she said. Having outgrown her 4,500-square-foot building, Ms. Wolverton-Davis is having a 6,000-square foot facility constructed.
Sharon White’s daughter, 12-year-old Micaelah, has been taking dance lessons from Ms. Wolverton-Davis since she was 2.
“She just spent most of the time waving to us at her first recital,” Ms. White said. “I just thought it was the sweetest thing. We were waving back – that’d be the last thing she’d do now.”
Micaelah said Ms. Wolverton-Davis has taught her a great deal about dancing and about life – how to be a good sport and win and lose with grace. She intends to train with Ms. Wolverton-Davis until she graduates from high school. Then, Micaelah said, she’d like to attend a college with a dance program.
“I would like to be like her,” Micaelah said of Ms. Wolverton-Davis. “She’s a role model.”
Ida Saki 13, is in her fourth year studying several genres of dance with Ms. Wolverton-Davis.
“She’s easy to talk to – she always has open ears. She listens to all of your problems,” Ida said. “She’s very close to all of her students. She could become friends with anybody.”
Ida called Ms. Wolverton-Davis “an amazing choreographer, and an amazing teacher.”
“I was never this good of a dancer,” Ida said. “Now, she’s really raised me up. I’ve learned so much from her.”
Ms. Wolverton-Davis has taught thousands of students, she said. Her students routinely win or place in major national competitions, she said, like the National Title in 2004 at the “Tremaine Dance Competition.
A group of her students also recently placed in the top five at a the “Starpower” talent competition,” she said.
While she’s won accolades for choreography, Ms. Wolverton-Davis said she gets the biggest high watching her pupils succeed.
“I can’t imagine doing anything else. I will always do this,” Ms. Wolverton-Davis said. “I feel like I’ve helped a lot of kids. It’s about making a difference, and I feel like I do that on a daily basis.”
Source: http://www.procheerleaderblog.com/wp/?p=1201
