Heading to the Showcase National Dance Championships in Queensland has long been a rite of passage for MJ Dance Studio\u2019s best and brightest. For the past five years though, circumstances, mainly COVID, have conspired to see MJ dancers not be a part of the Gold Coast event so for many of the 44-strong 2023 contingent it was the first time they had experience the dance extravaganza.<\/p>\n
Hosted at Star Casino, across three magnificent ballrooms, Showcase 2023 was back to its former glory as dancers battled it out in competitions that ran from 8am until often after midnight. MJ Dance Studio director Maria Slape said it was so great to see the competition back at its usual venue and with all the pizzaz of the early days of the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a really good standard and when I was looking at the program I thought we are not going to place here,\u201d she said. But the results were impressive with four dancers making it to the prestigious individual battles, four securing overall placings in the top 10 and three dancers securing double platinum scores \u2013 the highest on offer for dancers at the Gold Coast event.<\/p>\n
For Maria, returning to Showcase had a nostalgic feel. \u201cIt is such a lovely community and you see people you have met over the years and everyone just gets along,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest compliment Maria and her 44-member team were afforded was the comparison of the class of \u201923 with one of the most glorious chapters of the MJ Dance Studio story when Euan Doidge, who has gone on to become one of Australia\u2019s premier musical theatre stars, was the star attraction and the likes of sisters Kiana and Symiko De van De Schueren were shining on stage.<\/p>\n
Kiana having gone onto a successful dance career including a stint with Cirque de Soleil and Symiko having travelled the world, earned a place in The Lion King and, in a special reunion for Maria was at the Gold Coast for Showcase, as was another successful alumni Imogen Harkness.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people said it was like the team of old it was hard not to be so proud,\u201d Maria said. \u201cIt was nice they still hold us in high regard.\u201d The strong results from the Dancer of the Year didn\u2019t end with the top 10 finishes, with other MJ dancers also sitting inside the top 20 which at a competition where there is thousands of dancers is a huge achievement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had such good representation,\u201d Maria said. \u201cIt is safe to say all our dancers realised what all the fuss is about. It made everyone see why I say we need to get out there and experience everything we can and we haven\u2019t been able to do that for a couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most pleasing for the MJ founder was the way her students lifted for the national competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey all stepped up \u2013 they saw the standard and I have never seen these kids dance like they did,\u201d Maria said. \u201cNever seen them dance so well. I\u2019ve told them you have to get out there and see what\u2019s going on and when they saw it they made sure they did their absolute best. Probably the most important thing is they had such a good time. It was definitely the right decision to go back and they have all said they can\u2019t wait to go back.\u201d<\/p>\n
And a decade or more after Symiko was at Showcase representing the Mount Gambier studio she still remembered those performances.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe (Symiko) said it was the best years of her life,\u201d Maria said, and it is hard not to see some of the current crop of MJ dancers feeling the same way, even with the passage of time. \u201cI am so glad this generation got to experience this exciting event.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maria also likes heading to Showcase because of the calibre and diversity of the judging, which can only help her studio and its dancers continue to improve. \u201cThere is a team of 10 or more judges from as far away as New York and you can have different judges for each category in which you compete \u2013 it is unique to the way dancer competitions are run in Australia and I love the diversity of views and feedback you get,\u201d she said. \u201cOf course I also loved that our kids can hold their own against the best in the nation.\u201d The MJ principal believed the strong techniques of her dancers held them in good stead.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the kids worked so hard beforehand and were able to not just get the results but also had so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
1. 2nd overall Senior Small Group
\n2. 2nd in the largest section of the competition – Senior Jazz
\n3. 3rd overall Pre Teen Large Group
\n4. 1st in the section Senior Contemporary double platinum award – one of the strongest sections of the group competition
\n5. 2nd overall Senior Large Group – also gaining a double platinum gold in the sections
\n6. Ella Dyson – Top 10 Junior Dancer of the Year
\n7. 1st overall – Pre Teen Group
\n8. Kiera McBain – Top 10 Senior Dancer of the Year<\/p>\n