Vitacca Dance Wins Big at Houston Youth International Ballet Competition

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Vitacca Vocational School for Dance, Houston and The Woodlands, and Artistic Director + Founder Kelly Ann Vitacca are proud to share their prestigious awards from The American Dance Competition | Youth International Ballet Competition Houston Semi-Final held January 13-15, 2023 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.

PRIMARY CLASSICAL BALLET DIVISION
Placement: 2 Performers: MELODY ZHANG Age: 10 Entry Title: GRADUATION BALL

JUNIOR CLASSICAL BALLET DIVISION
Student awarded first place overall and seven students placed in the Top 25.
Placement: 1 Performers: KINLEY BREWER Age: 13 Entry Title: LA ESMERALDA
Placement: 4 Performers: AUBREY DANIELS Age: 13 Entry Title: AWAKENING OF FLORA
Placement: 8 Performers: SARAH PREWITT Age: 13 Entry Title: THE TALISMAN
Placement: 11 Performers: RACHAEL BEAL Age: 13 Entry Title: PAQUITA MAZURKA VARIATION
Placement: 14 Performers: ABBY LENKER Age: 14 Entry Title: HARLEQUINADE
Placement: 21 Performers: GIANNA WAHL Age: 12 Entry Title: KITRI ACT 3 VARIATION
Placement: 22 Performers: LYLA ROGERS Age: 13 Entry Title: LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE

JUNIOR CONTEMPORARY DANCE DIVISION
Ten students placed in the Top 25.
Placement: 3 Performers: KINLEY BREWER Age: 13 Entry Title: UNBOUND
Placement: 5 Performers: AUBREY DANIELS Age: 13 Entry Title: BROKEN SPARROW
Placement: 6 Performers: ABBY LENKER Age: 14 Entry Title: SPELL ON YOU
Placement: 10 Performers: SARAH PREWITT Age: 13 Entry Title: IN THE 2ND CHAIR
Placement: 11 Performers: LYLA ROGERS Age: 13 Entry Title: CHERRY BLOSSOM
Placement: 16 Performers: JULIAN GOMEZ (M) Age: 14 Entry Title: SERENADE
Placement: 17 Performers: IRENE PAREDES Age: 13 Entry Title: FROST
Placement: 18 Performers: GIANNA WAHL Age: 12 Entry Title: HABANERA
Placement: 19 Performers: RACHAEL BEAL Age: 13 Entry Title: MOVING ALONG
Placement: 21 Performers: AMARIS PONDER Age: 13 Entry Title: LINEINDICKE

SENIOR CLASSICAL BALLET DIVISION (FEMALE)
Student awarded first place overall and ten students placed in the Top 25.
Placement: 1 Performers: ISABELLA SHOOK Age: 15 Entry Title: GRAND PAS CLASSIQUE
Placement: 4 Performers: AMIRA HOGAN Age: 16 Entry Title: GAMZATTI VARIATION FROM LA BAYADERE
Placement: 8 Performers: ASHLEIGH ABEL Age: 16 Entry Title: PAQUITA PRINCIPLE VARIATION
Placement: 9 Performers: KYRA WENTZLAFF Age: 16 Entry Title: PAQUITA ACT 3 VARIATION
Placement: 10 Performers: KATYA CASSIDY Age: 16 Entry Title: WALPURGIS NACHT
Placement: 13 Performers: ALANA BENTON Age: 17 Entry Title: VARIATION FROM RAYMONDA
Placement: 20 Performers: SOPHIA SPARROW Age: 17 Entry Title: LE CORSAIRE MEDORA VARIATION
Placement: 23 Performers: AVA MARCINKOVICH Age: 15 Entry Title: PAS D'SCLAVE VARIATION FROM LE CORSAIRE
Placement: 24 Performers: CORINA WILSON Age: 15 Entry Title: SWANHILDA FROM COPPELIA ACT 1
Placement: 25 Performers: IVY WATTS Age: Entry Title: VARIATION FROM PAQUITA

SENIOR CONTEMPORARY DANCE DIVISION (FEMALE)
Student awarded first place overall and six students placed in the Top 25.
Placement: 1 Performers: AMIRA HOGAN Age: 16 Entry Title: DANCING EDITH PIAF
Placement: 2 Performers: ALANA BENTON Age: 17 Entry Title: DISTANT WATERS
Placement: 3 Performers: ISABELLA SHOOK Age: 15 Entry Title: ENTWINED SONNET
Placement: 13 Performers: KYRA WENTZLAFF Age: 16 Entry Title: AMPERSAND
Placement: 14 Performers: LARISSA YAKUNOVICH Age: 18 Entry Title: LONGITUDINAL VIBRATION
Placement: 15 Performers: KATYA CASSIDY Age: 16 Entry Title: NEARING

SENIOR CLASSICAL BALLET DIVISION (MALE)
Student awarded first place overall.
Placement: 1 Performers: CRISTIAN PONDER Age: 16 Entry Title: ALBRECHT VARIATION FROM GISELLE

SENIOR CONTEMPORARY DANCE DIVISION (MALE)
Vitacca Men’s Program Dancers awarded Top 3 overall.
Placement: 1 Performers: CRISTIAN PONDER Age: 16 Entry Title: PENANCE
Placement: 2 Performers: SHAWN PEARSON Age: 16 Entry Title: PASSING
Placement: 3 Performers: CONNOR BLANK Age: 15 Entry Title: MY OLD WEST

PAS DE DEUX
Students awarded first place overall.
Placement: 1 Performers: ISABELLA SHOOK, Entry Title: GRAND PAS CLASSIQUE
Performers: CRISTIAN PONDER Age: 15

GROUPS
Vitacca Studio Company awarded first place overall and five student groups placed in the Top 7. Rehearsal Director Sean Aaron Carmon.
Placement: 1 Entry Title: PASSING ECHOES
Placement: 2 Entry Title: THOUGHTPROCESS
Placement: 3 Entry Title: LAST ONE STANDING
Placement: 5 Entry Title: COMPOSED DUALITY
Placement: 7 Entry Title: LONG STORY SHORT

For more information on Vitacca School for Dance visit www.VitaccaDance.com.