Dance performance takes audience on 'Journeys'

The auditorium at Sisters High School was packed - more than 700 people on hand to watch 260 dancers, from tiny tots to adults, in the Sisters Dance Academy's Spring Recital.

The theme of the program was "Journeys," and dances were choreographed around it: Journey of Emotions, Journey to Outer Space, Journey through Disneyland, Journey to the Future, A Journey through Classical Music, A Journey to the Jungle, The Journey of a Relationship...

The show kicked off with "Top Gun," by the junior/senior performance ensemble, choreographed by Kayla Williams.

"Between amazing lighting, amazing choreography, technical dancing, and music that is iconic, this piece was a great way to open the show," said Sisters Dance Academy founder Lonnie Liddel.

Liddel choreographed another highlight: the adult ballet, "Journeys," with nine women dancing with grace and poise to a beautiful piece of classical music.

The adult hip-hop dancers performed "A Journey to the '80's & '90s - a fun, energetic number with some surprise tricks at the end, with Bethany Gunnarson doing a headstand and Kastle Likens doing the worm. The dance was choreogrpahed by Shannon Abero Guerrero.

"The very youngest dancers (ages 3-5 years) always bring on the cheers," Liddel said. "For the 1 p.m. show the crowd was cheering as soon as the lights came up for them; they hadn't even started dancing yet!"

Liddel noted that competitive dance teams - Junior and Senior Hip-Hop Squad, Junior and Senior Performance Ensemble (Jazz & Contemporary) also performed in the recital.

"This spring, these dancers competed in two regional dance competitions in Portland - Thunderstruck and Energy - and one state-wide competition in Eugene: Turn It Up. In all three competitions the dancers did amazing."

The Senior Hip Hop squad, comprised of nine dancers ages 14-17, competed with a dance entitled "Pick It Up" and were awarded the highest-scoring routine in the advanced senior division, out of all dance numbers entered in this division, no matter the style or size of the group, at both Energy and Turn It Up.

At the Thunderstruck competition, the Junior Hip- Hop squad, comprised of 11 dancers ages 11-12, competed a piece called "Get It" and were awarded first place overall in their age group in the intermediate division. At Energy they received the judges' choice award for performance and second place overall. Both hip hop pieces were choreographed by Shannon Abero Guerrero.

"At the Energy competition, we had two duets that also placed first: Brooke Blakelock and Charley Liddell with their duet, 'Hearing,' choreographed by Kayla Williams, and Kate Cogdill and Kyanne Keeton with their duet, 'Cardi,' choreographed by Shannon Abero Guerrero," Liddel said.

For more information about Sisters Dance Academy, visit https://danceinsisters.com.