Jazz of Yuma goes to West Coast, comes back winners

   Fancy footwork from Jazz of Yuma (JOY) earned dance students praise and scholarships at the West Coast Dance Explosion competition.

  JOY is a nonprofit performing dance company that had 24 students attend the West Coast competition in Phoenix in April.

  It included four age levels: mini, junior, teen and senior. At the competition, there were two days of dance classes taught by master dance teachers who have been featured on TV shows such as "Dancing with the Stars."

  JOY dancers also competed against other dance companies from Phoenix, California, Las Vegas and Guatemala.

  The categories of dance styles that JOY performed in included hip-hop, jazz, lyrical and musical theater, said artistic director Dawn Atherton.

  Tiana Deloney, 6, won the Year Long Convention Scholarship at the mini level. The scholarship will pay for her trip to the competition next year.

  Deloney said she opened the competition with three dance styles: hip-hop, jazz and musical theater. However, she said, jazz is her favorite because "it makes me feel good. I've always liked dance. I'll even dance for my dog."

  Casey Hoeft, 18, also won a Year Long Convention Scholarship at the senior level. "I've been dancing for 15 years and it makes me feel happy. (JOY is) my second home.

  "I can express whatever I want from (dance). If I'm having a bad day I can get the emotion out," Casey said.

  Ashley Atherton, 10, was the third dancer from JOY to receive a scholarship, the Elite Dancer Scholarship, to attend the competition next year at the junior level. Ashley also has the opportunity to go to Las Vegas and compete for the national title of Junior Elite Dancer of 2008.

  Ashley said she dances to all types of styles, including tap, ballet and lyrical. "Dancing takes my emotions away, and I like to dance a lot. If I'm having a bad day, I come to class and get over it."

  The dancers were able to attend the competition because of $2,400 worth of grants from JOY, said Atherton. And JOY got the grants because of fundraising and community donations, Atherton added.

  Brandy Henry, assistant director at JOY and choreographer, said she became emotional when she heard that JOY dance students won scholarships. "I was crying (and) I'm really proud of them.

  "They work really really hard. Dance is a sport, not just an activity," she said. "Most of the girls dance three or four times a day."

   Kimberly Dornstadter, 12, who takes ballet and jazz, said, "I don't get judged here, so I can do whatever. I can express myself, and I don't care what people think."

  Dancing has been a part of Atherton's life since she was 3. She created JOY in 2001 "because of what it does for the students - what it does for their self esteem. A shy student will come out of their shell" when they dance. "It's wonderful what (dance does) ... for the children."

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  Jazz of Yuma dancers placed in different levels at the West Coast Dance Explosion:

- First Place, Gold - song "Ramalama"

- First Place, Gold - song "Rock Star"

- Second Place, Gold - song "Money"

- Third Place, Gold - song "G-Slide"

- Gold - song "Save Us" (Jacque and Toni's Duet)

- Gold - song "Hot Stuff"

- Silver - song "Showstopper"

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Jennifer Lovell can be reached at jlovell@yumasun.com or 539-6849.