Ballerinas win grand prize in competition Ballerinas win grand prize in competition (September 08, 2004)

For the second year in a row, the Menlo Park Dance Academy's ballet team has won the overall grand prize in the International Dance Challenge's 2004 national finals, held recently in Las Vegas.

The team's presentation of "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1" took first place in the production category against 10 other productions. It also won the award for the best technical execution.

Two of the Menlo Park Dance Academy numbers -- "Tchaikovsky" and "Vivaldi-Summer" -- will be included in an International Dance Challenge television program to be shown in September.

This is the fourth straight year that ballet dancers from the Menlo Park Academy of Dance have been chosen to appear in the "Showcase of Winners" television special.

Ballet numbers were choreographed by Sarah Jane Measor. The dancers range in age from 12 to 18 and study ballet for 10 to 12 hours per week.

Dancers in the prize-winning performance included: Natalia Barulich, Sierra Drew, Mio Frisk, Adriana Harmon, Sharon Kung, Megan Lysgaard, Chelsea McLaughlin, Lindsey Petersen, Christina Pun, Amber Richards, Claire-Marine Sarner, Martina Troesch, Selina Troesch and Darcy Wilson.

During the competitions, Menlo Park Academy of Dance received nine platinum and 26 gold awards.

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