Encore win big at Universal Dance Championships

Students at the Strabane-based Encore Performing Arts Academy were celebrating last week after emerging victorious with a plethora of awards at the Universal Dance Championships in Dundalk.

The Academy walked away with several Championship titles as well as placing in second, third and fourth across the two-day competition.

Head of Dance Caroline Barker, or ‘Miss Caroline’ as she is known to students, explained, “We are so delighted to let everybody know about our amazing if exhausting weekend at UDC Finals and to announce our Championships winners and multiple 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishes in what was a phenomenal Final. In order to attain qualification for the finals, dancers had to achieve a top three finish in one of five heats held throughout the year, with Encore entering the fray in a heat in February.

“To even compete alongside dance and performing arts schools from all over Ireland was an absolute privilege – they were amazing. Everyone here at Encore is so proud of the student’s achievements in representing not only the school, but the town of Strabane so well!”

Of the litany of wins, Encore won first place in the Lyrical Team 16-and-under category for ‘Dream Red’ with choreography by Miss Caroline, the Anything Goes Tap 17-and-over category with ‘That’s What I Want To Tap’, choreographed by Miss Jade Molloy-O’Donnell, the Anything Goes Duo/Trio 16-and-under with ‘American Patrol Tap Trio’ again with choreography by Miss Caroline and the 17-plus Anything Goes Duo/Trio – Take Five Tap.

Miss Caroline took the time to give massive congratulations to all the dancers involved in the successes. This was ‘Miss Jade’s first year at Encore and to win a title at a national level has been described by Caroline as ‘incredible’.

Further success came when it was announced that Encore won the Dance Industry Award for 2022 for Outstanding Senior Team Performance of the Year for their ‘Forget About The Boy’ Musical Theatre Routine.

The announcement was made in the US by acclaimed dance teacher Abby Lee of the Abby Lee Dance Academy.

Finally, Encore students were placed second, third and fourth in categories where they got to show off their jazz and tap skills, both individually and in team performances in a whopping 18 categories.

Caroline concluded, “I want to say ‘congratulations’ to EVERYONE involved in the Championships! So proud of our amazing TEAM ENCORE! Full credit to all these young people for their talent and dedication and shared love of dance!

“I would also like to give a massive thank you to Miss Jade and Miss Elly for all their hard work and to the hugely supportive parents who helped make this possible!”