AMHERST - For the first time, local dancers placed first in all numbers they performed.
Fourteen dancers with the Atlantic Dance Academy have the opportunity to go to Nationals and Dance World Cup this summer after five first place finishes at the 5-6-7-8 Showtime regional competition.
"This group is only six years old and to see that kind of a result is amazing," said Dina Leisch, instructor and owner of the school. "To have that strong of a showing after six years...it's very seldom."
The five pieces local dancers performed were 'Jazz It Up', 'Ants and Dragonfly', 'Adagio', 'Praying Mantis' and 'Coppelia'.
"I haven't been doing this for very long, but Dina is an excellent instructor and made it look like we were doing it for a long time," said Jonathan MacDonald, who performed 'Praying Mantis' by himself and 'Adagio' with Corina Stiles.
The national competition will be held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, from June 29 to July 3.
All five of the pieces the students performed can be seen during the academy's recital May 29. The show will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the Susan Taylor Theatre at the Amherst Regional High School.
rtetanish@amherstdaily.com
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