Dancers from the Rise Vineyard Performing Arts Dance Company traveled to Providence, R.I., on Feb. 11 to 13 to present 30 pieces of choreography for adjudication and critique at the 2022 StarQuest dance competition.
The company will showcase its work on the Island on April 10 at the MVRHS Performing Arts Center. At StarQuest, Rise was recognized and won more than two dozen top-scoring and category awards, including six first-place titles, six second-place, four third-place, one fourth-place, and one fifth-place. Choreographic styles included jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet, lyrical, musical theater, and hip-hop, in solo, duet, trio, small group and large group arrangements.
Rise received the Petite Odyssey award for “99 Red Balloons,” a tap piece in the nova petite small group category choreographed by Rise’s studio and company director, Jil Matrisciano Loughman. “Lupine,” a contemporary piece in the select teen small group category choreographed by Matrisciano Loughman and Madison Marshall, received the Select Apogee award. Additionally, StarQuest presented Matrisciano Loughman with the choreography award for showcasing outstanding choreography.
Rise also received judges’ special awards, multiple costume awards, a Spreading Kindness award, and was awarded the StarQuest Select Studio of Excellence, an honor presented to the studio with the highest total aggregate score, derived from calculating the scores of all top five select group routines.
Rise company dancers will showcase their work again on March 25 to 27 when they travel to Woburn to compete at the Spirit of Dance Competition.
The Rise company is a group of students ages 6 to 18 who demonstrate a strong commitment and passion for dance at a pre-professional level.
The 2021–22 Rise Dance Company is Lillian Avakian, Grace Bennett-Rock, Zelda Binney, Addison Blake, Clover Briggs, Harper Cash, Aurora Christensen, Annie Combra, Avery Conley, Alison Custer, Teagan D’Arcy, Marlena Gale, Taylor Golding, Isla Gregory, Emma Huffam, Fallyn Huffam, Alexis LaVigne, Leya LaBell, Linden MacLeod, Emily MacMillan, Joy MacMillan, Rose MacMillan, Margaret Moehnke, Lacey Munn, Veyda Pearl, Ryah Perry, Alicia Silva, Iyla Story, Josey Sylva, Grace Voshell, Ava Vought, Charlotte Watts, Casey Webster, Savannah Werther, Violet Werther, Phoenix White, and Genevieve Wise.