By Staff
DOWAGIAC – Victoria Baker, Mariah-Joy Francois and Nicole Irwin have been nominated for Dancer of the Year and are heading to New York City to compete in the DanceAmercia National Competition at the end of June.
All three girls were selected due to their solo performances at regional competition in Chicago.
All three girls attend Miss Kathy's School of Dance for weekly dance classes and participate in Positively Dance competition and performance teams.
The girls leave for New York on June 28 and will be returning home on July 5.
Once they arrive at nationals, the girls will spend their first day in rehearsals learning and perfecting their production presentation to be performed with all other nominees.
On their second day, the judges will conduct an interview session and dance segment with each dancer.
The rest of the competition will consist of each girl performing their dance solo.
The girls will also participate in dance workshops while in New York.
All awards will be made on the final day of competition.
Victoria Baker is a 12-year-old sixth grader at Sam Adams Elementary School in Cassopolis. Her parents are Jeff and Tracey Baker.
Victoria participates in nine weekly dance classes at Miss Kathy's and has been a member of Positively Dance Performance for four and half years, and a member of Positively Dance Competition Team for four years.
Victoria is also a member of her student council, yearbook, Education Talent Search, National Honor Roll and Penn 4-H.
Mariah-Joy Francois is an 8-year-old third grader at Patrick Hamilton Elementary School in Dowagiac. Her parents are Marty and Marleigh Francois.
Mariah-Joy participates in seven weekly dance classes at Miss Kathy's and has been a member of Positively Dance Performance and Competition Team for three years.
Mariah-Joy is also a member of her church's Children's Drama Team, Patrick Hamilton's Elementary School Special Chorus and has received piano lessons for the past four years.
Nicole Irwin is a 13-year-old seventh grader at Dowagiac Middle School. Her parents are Don and Tracie Irwin.
Nicole participates in seven weekly dance classes at Miss Kathy's and has been a member of Positively Dance Performance for six years and Positively Dance Competition for five years. Nicole also plays volleyball and is a member of the yearbook, choir and National Honor Society.
To help get these girls to New York, they are holding numerous fundraisers.They will be holding a Trivia Night fundraiser tonight. Friday June 12, at 7 p.m. at Dowagiac Conservation Club. The cost for trivia night is $100 per table, 10 people maximum to a table. Cash prizes will be awarded to first-third places.
If you are interested in participating or donating, please contact Marleigh Francois at (269) 591-1293.
If you would like to mail a donation, you can do so to Positively Dance D.O.T.Y, P.O. Box 616, Dowagiac, MI 49047.