Once the bell rings and school lets out for the day, a lot of our students head outside to one of our athletic fields for baseball or softball practice, or maybe to the turf and track to hurl shots or jump hurdles. Others catch a bus over to Livonia for lacrosse practice alongside their fellow Avon-Livonia-Geneseo Lakers.

But still others hop in the car, hang a right on East Main Street, head to Avon Town Plaza and lace up their ballet slippers for an afternoon or evening of training at Miss Natale’s Dance Centre. 

This contingent of Avon students - about 15 are competitive dancers with Miss Natale’s - have been enjoying a particularly impressive run of success over the past couple of months. 

In late March, Miss Natale owner-operator Natale Harter’s dancers headed to Rochester for the Summerdanse Dance Competition to compete against a who’s who of competition from across the region. 

Highlights from the Summerdanse competition include: 

• Kallie B., a 3rd grader in Mr. Tom Ellingham’s class, placed among the top 10 in her division.  
• Kallie then teamed up with Ellie G., a 4th grader in Mrs. Mackenzie Stickel’s class, to perform a duet, receiving 1st overall in their division. 
• 7th grader Gracie S. took first overall with the highest score for ages 12 and under junior division for her lyrical dance, “I Have Nothing.” 
• Laura C., a student in Mrs. Heather Watkins’s kindergarten class, performed a duet, taking first in her division. 

A few weeks after their strong showings at Summerdanse, Harter’s competition dancers headed back to Rochester for the East Coast Elite Competition where they once again earned numerous first-place division finishes and runner-up placements:

• Kallie B. placed in the top 10 in her division.
• Ellie G. and Kallie B. once again performed a duet, taking first in their category and division. 
• Gracie S. won a title in the junior division for her lyrical dance. 
• Lanie S., a 4th grader in Mrs. Anne Hettenbaugh’s class, earned a title and the highest overall score in the ages 12 and under division for her lyrical dance, “Tomorrow.” 
• 7th grader Maggie M. won a title in her division for her lyrical dance, “Try.”
• 6th grader Hadley F. was named runner-up for her lyrical dance performance. 
• Laura C. took 1st in her age group and division for her duet. 
• Caitlyn L., a 7th grader, and her duet partner placed in the top 10 for their musical theater routine. 
• Caydence C., a 6th grader, and Lilliana G., a 5th grader, placed in the top 10 in their division for their jazz dance.
• Everly F. (5th grade), Bianca E. (5th grade), Nora S. (5th grade), Lanie S. (4th grade), Gracie S. (7th grade), Ellie G. (4th grade), Olivia K. (5th grade) and Kayanna D. (3rd grade) were also part of Miss Natale Dance Centre’s award-winning, top-scoring hip hop and acro team, which placed 1st in their division. 
• Kayanna D. was also part of the mini competition jazz team, which placed 1st overall.

As if its strong showings at Summerdanse and East Coast Elite weren’t enough, Miss Natale’s competition team recently learned it had been selected to perform at Walt Disney World’s annual Summertime Spectacular dance weekend in July! 

“Disney is very selective about the groups they allow to perform, so we were required to submit a video audition for consideration. We have participated in this opportunity in the past, and it has always been a wonderful experience for our dancers,” explained Harter. “Additionally, based on the strength of their performances at Summerdanse, East Coast Elite and other competitions over the past year, many of our dancers have also qualified to compete nationally this summer. That’s no easy feat, considering they’re going up against dozens of other dancers performing hundreds of routines at these qualifying competitions.”

While it’s true that these dancers aren’t competing under the River Hawk emblem as members of an official Avon Central School District team, we recognize there’s a whole lot more to our students’ lives than what goes on within our walls during school hours Monday through Friday and feel strongly that their successes should be celebrated - regardless of where or how they’re achieved. 

All of that is to say we’re incredibly proud of our dancing River Hawks and are blown away by the hard work and dedication they put into every routine they perform.

We’ll be wishing them all good luck at their competitions this summer!