Lee Anne Stewart Dance School members performed at the In10sity competition in Fort Wayne in May and captured several awards. Photo provided.

News Release

SYRACUSE — The Fusion Dance Team from Lee Anne Stewart Dance School attended the In10sity competition in Fort Wayne from May 18-21, competing in 27 dances including solos, duos, their team dances and a few larger productions.

The majority of the dances received platinum and a few received high gold. Two of soloists, Windsor Bonner and Jazmyn Taylor, placed in the top 10. Ellie Wenz received the “Perfect Precision” award for her tap solo. “Time of the Season,” which is performed by the school’s oldest team, received a “Best in Category” award. The judges awarded “I See Fire,” an award for impressive connection throughout the dance.

Included in these awards were the highest scoring teen routine, and the highest scoring senior routine. The large production number, “I’ve Got a Dream,” in which the entire Fusion Dance Team performs, received the Intense Premier Teen Highest Score overall and also a judges’ “Acknowledgment Award.” The Acknowledgement Award was given to this dance because the dance had a Broadway quality. “When You’re an Addams,” performed by the oldest two teams, received the Intense Premier Senior Highest Score Overall. This dance also received the “Exceptional Performance” award, which is a special award from the judges.

Many of the dances that competed at In10sity will be performed in the studio’s annual dance production. This is the 50th anniversary of the Lee Anne Stewart Dance School. The theme this year is “Fabulous Favorites.” There will be many familiar songs and dances from various shows throughout the years. Some of the songs are new favorites, so there will be something for everyone.

“We are so excited to celebrate this monumental accomplishment with our friends, families guests and especially alumni,” said Lee Anne Stewart, exclusive owner and operator of the dance schools. “It has been so exciting to prepare for this show by choosing some of my favorites throughout the years.”

Lee Anne Stewart Dance School will hold its performances at Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 10; 4 p.m. Sunday, June 11; 7 p.m. Friday, June 16; 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17; and 4 p.m. Sunday, June 18. Tickets range from $15-$17 each and are available online.

June will mark the close of Stewart’s 50th year of teaching dance in the greater Wawasee area. A second studio was opened in Nappanee in the fall of 1996. Both studios host students from many surrounding communities including Goshen, Leesburg, Warsaw, Bremen, Winona Lake, Claypool and Plymouth, among many others.

Some of the songs audiences will enjoy at this year’s show include “Land of 1000 Dances,” “Rainbow Connection,” “Wizards in Winter” and “Into the Woods Somewhere.” Also during the productions, more than 40 students will receive awards for five, 10 and 15 years of taking classes at Stewart Dance schools. “I’m so proud of each of the students performing, but I love recognizing the young dancers who reach these milestones in their dance education,” said Stewart.

Information regarding summer classes and programs, as well as information for enrolling in fall classes is available online at www.stewartdanceschool.com, or by calling (877) 658-9875.

Classes are offered to students ranging from age 2 through adult in pre-ballet, ballet, contemporary, jazz, jazz-funk, tap, pointe and hip hop. Themed pre-school classes for students 3 to 4½ years of age are available in monthly sessions, and specialty classes in ballet, tap and jazz technique, contemporary, leaps and turns and more are offered periodically throughout the year for students 12 years and up.

The dance schools are located south of Syracuse on 300 East (15 minutes from Warsaw Wal-Mart), and on the third floor of Main Street Suites in Nappanee.