In the East Coast Finals for the Summer of 2017 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the Miss Michele & Co. Competition Dance Team competed against dozens of dance studios from around the state for prestigious top honors at Showstopper, the largest dance competition in the country.

Their entries placed as follows:

• ‘’Hallelujah’’ received first place platinum and seventh place overall in Junior Advanced Duet/Trio

• ‘’Imagine’’ received first place platinum and 10th place overall in Teen Advanced Large

• ‘’One’’ received first place platinum and 10th place overall in Teen Advanced Large

• ‘’Roxie’’ received first place platinum and 10th place overall in Senior Advanced Duet/Trio

The Miss Michele & Co. Competition Team received 16 first place platinum awards and four gold awards.

During the week of competition, they also took master classes from a variety of teachers, including Broadway performer Carol Schemburg and “Dancing with the Stars” dance pro Lacey Schwimmer.

Choreographers for the 2016-2017 season were Michele Winchester-Greer, Madelynne Winchester, Eileen Springsteen, Emily Clark, Di’maan McGill, Jacki Winchester-Jones and Juliana Stanger. The Miss Michele & Co. Competition team consists of Amelia Bakeman, Gracie Clark, Emalee Foote, Taylore Froehlich, Kyleah Hill, Sophie Kirtdoll, Tamyra Kirtdoll, Julia Kurland, Emma Stanger, Juliana Stanger, Olivia Stanger and Jacki Winchester-Jones.

The MMC Competition Team is composed of a group of dancers between the ages of 8 to 18, representing the communities of Dowagiac, Cassopolis and Eau Claire. The team rehearses several different genres of dance, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop, while working on technique and choreography.

The MMC Team was founded not only to give the dancers an opportunity to compete, but also to help strengthen their pathway, teach them discipline, self-respect, and to focus their minds for a successful future, instructors said.

Miss Michele & Co is located at 212 S. Front St., Dowagiac.  Visit the school’s website at  MissMicheleandCo.com or its Facebook page, MMC Competition Team, for online registration and class information.