Pure Academy has a Golden Weekend in Michigan

This past weekend in Dearborn Michigan — Chatham’s PURE Academy competed against 29 of the top dance schools from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Over 800 dancers from around the USA and Canada attended this competition.

PURE Academy’s 3 competitive dance teams entered 19 dances ranging from ballet to hip hop in the 3 day event. PURE achieved very well — winning 18 Gold and High Gold Ratings for their dances. “Our teams performed and achieved very well at this international competition. The bar was set high and we competed with the best. I am very proud of the team,” said Raewyn Maheu Pure’s Competitive Director. “The team has worked very hard this year and to be competing against organizations that have been in business for 40, 50 years is an honour” Dakota Hodgson and Hannah Nicholls won Regional Scholarships and were selected from a field of over 200 to be on the Teen all-star hip-hop team. Gracie Hodgson also won a regional Scholarship as one of the top junior aged dancers.

PURE’s Junior Large Group “Crabbuckit” choreographed by Head Coach Raewyn Maheu and performed by Emily Gorlick, Shanessa Harris, Grace Hodgson, Sarah Houle, Riley Kitchen, Libby Lacina, Jocelyn Smit, Savanna Stallaert, Kathryn Symanski and Hunter Willmore finished 2nd overall in its category and was in the top 12 “Best of Show” numbers chosen from 275 performances.

PURE’s Mini Trio “Us” choreographed by Jenna Charron and Raewyn Maheu and performed by Rebecca Charron, Cassandra Comiskey and Chloe Stallaert finished 2nd Overall in the competition in their division. PURE’s Mini Small Group “Make my Dreams Come True” choreographed by Jenna Charron and Raewyn Maheu and performed by Larissa Bedford, Rebecca Charon, Casandra Comiskey, Abbey Gorlick, Sydney-Grace James, Lauren Pittuck, Chloe Stallaert, Zachery Stallaert and Lakyn Willmore finished 3rd overall! PURE’s Mini Large Group “Thats Not My Name” choreographed by Charlene Wong and performed by Larissa Bedford, Rebecca Charon, Casandra Comiskey, Abbey Gorlick, Sydney-Grace James, Tara Moore, Olivia Paxton, Lauren Pittuck, Carsen Rhodes, Chloe Stallaert, Zachery Stallaert, Trisha Tulloch and Lakyn Willmore finished 3rd overall!

PURE’s Junior Production Number “Alice” Choreographed by Raewyn Maheu and Jenna Charron and performed together by all 3 teams won 2nd place overall in the difficult production category. Both of PURE’s Teen Production Numbers “Jerk-IT and “Shiver” finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the teen production division.

PURE’s next action will see them traveling to Toronto this coming weekend to compete the Extreme Dance Convention and Competition.