Dancers to compete on world stage

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Dancers from two CT Dance Theatre and the Arts competition teams will be attending the World Championships of Dance in New Jersey in August. –CONTRIBUTED
Dancers from two CT Dance Theatre and the Arts competition teams will be attending the World Championships of Dance in New Jersey in August. –CONTRIBUTED

PROSPECT — Dancers from the Connecticut Dance Theatre and the Arts studio will put their moves to the test on the world stage.

The dance studio in Prospect is sending two teams to compete at the World Championships of Dance Aug. 2 through Aug. 7 in Meadowlands, N.J.

“We had five numbers qualify this past May at the Imagine Dance Challenge in New Haven,” studio owner and instructor Nefra Wihbey said.

The senior division (ages 12-18) team will compete Aug. 5 and the team in the teen division (ages 12-15) will compete Aug. 7.

“After placing first overall in each of their divisions and receiving the World’s Golden Ticket, the senior division will perform ‘Symphony of Sound’ and the teen division will perform ‘Smooth Criminal,’” Wihbey said.

Senior division dancers Brayden Wihbey, Alyssa Parrella, Shane Lyskowski, Casey Rioux and Sarah Rioux competed at the Atlantic City Headliners Dance Competition last weekend and were named National Champions in a final tune-up for the World Championships.

Teen division dancers Brayden Wihbey, Melissa Tracy, Kolbi Morgan, Amelia Alcorace, Micayla Barrows, Morgan Mancini and Kelly Mirando will be looking to add to that success at the World Championships.

The World Championships won’t be the first time dancers from the studio will be on the world stage. Last November, Lyskowski and Casey Rioux were selected to compete in Germany as part of the United States Dance Team.

“We are extremely proud of all the dancers hard work and dedication and the success this past year,” Wihbey said. “The entire staff at CTDTA was so excited for Shane and Casey as they competed in Germany for seven days last November performing two numbers that were choreographed by our studio.”

The studio is holding open auditions for competition teams Aug. 1 and Aug. 3. Auditions for intermediate and advanced dancers are both days from 4 to 7 p.m. Beginner dancers are asked to come both days from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information regarding auditions, call 203-758-5644.