Dressed for dance

By Emma Schenk
BACKSTAGE Dance Academy in Narre Warren has swept the floor at the Beachside Dance Festival, with all four of their under-6 dancers all picking up awards for their solo song and dance routines.
The young students competed against five other dancers, with two winning equal first, and the others winning second and third place.
“It’s an extra special thing to happen at the academy, as they all came home with awards,” Backstage Dance Academy Principal Jess Solomon said.
“We’re super proud of them and we could only hope for something like this.”
The first-place winners performed to ‘Never Smile at a Crocodile’ and ‘I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas’.
It was the girls’ first performances, and they are now looking forward to being part of Backstage Dance Academy’s team at the Phoenix Festival of Dance in July.
The dance academy has been running for four years and creates pathways for students to develop and pursue a professional career in dance.
“It gives them an opportunity to learn dance at a high standard while having fun,” Ms Solomon said.