Award-winning dancers delight County audiences

Students also won an Award of Distinction for their ballet piece 'Clowning Around'.

County School of Dance students wowed their families and friends at the Art of Dance recital Sunday at the Regent Theatre.
Twelve of the performers were fresh from earning top marks at the annual Orillia Opera House Dance Competition.

Willow Rasmus

“The children competed in five ballet and jazz pieces against students from dance studios across Ontario and returned with two silver and three silver-with-honour medals having obtained an average mark of 85-89 per cent,” said studio owner and instructor Brenda Cunningham. “Students also won an Award of Distinction for their ballet piece ‘Clowning Around’.”

Students included: Sadie and Jaimie Ann Mercer, Emma Evans, Laura Jeffery, Cameron Galway, Cassidy Baldwin, Ariana Blake-Parsons, Courtney Kerr, Abigayle Mitts, Keely Kleinsteuber and Willow Rasmus.
For the second year running, Willow Rasmus, 8, was presented a trophy for earning the highest mark of any junior ballet soloist at the competition.
“I could be more proud of Willow and all the students on their achievements this year,” said Cunningham. “They all work so hard.”
Rasmus also travelled to the National Ballet School with her teacher to take her Grade 1 Cecchetti ballet exam and received a pass with commended grade.
The students also performed for residents of McFarland Home and Hallowell House last week.