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Two Creston Community High School dancers achieved superior ratings at the State Solo Contest class V in Newton.
Coach Brenna Baker chose two students from those who tried out for the Peppers team to represent CCHS at state contest. Both of those students placed in the top 10 out of 65 competitors. Trinity Woody placed 5th and Jurnee Harvey placed 9th.
Woody
Woody, a freshman at CCHS, dances with Dance and Tumbling. Her routine for the competition was a contemporary dance to “Experience” choreographed by Leslie Tyler of Leslie’s Dance and Woody herself.
Some physical issues this year that made dancing difficult for Woody, but she pushed through them and came back to dancing a few weeks after having surgery on her legs in August.
She credits Tyler with helping her be successful.
“Leslie Tyler has helped me a lot with my dancing,” Woody said. “I have grown as a dancer and a person because of her.”
Tyler appreciates Woody’s work ethic and her graceful dancing.
“She has a beautiful connection with music,” Tyler said. “She has a perseverance and maturity besides an explosion of talent in many different areas. She’s just a neat human to work with.”
Harvey
Harvey, 16, has danced for Spotlight School of Dance in Creston since she was two years old.
She has also danced “The Nutcracker” at the Civic Center in Des Moines since she was 8 years old. This year she and Woody must decide if they can coordinate that experience with state drill team, which is on the same day, or choose between the two.
Harvey revived her summer dance routine to “Unchained Melody” for the competition. She says it was an honor to be chosen for the solo contest and appreciates the extra input from the competition.
“I do a lot of studio work on my own,” Harvey said. “It’s really helpful when my dance teachers and teachers from other studios correct me and help me improve.”
Adonica Struhar, owner of Spotlight, praises Harvey’s dance skills and her dedication to the craft.
“Her technical skills are so easily seen by a non-dancer,” Struhar said. “She is a student ambassador and teaches the kindergartners every Tuesday with one of the instructors.”