By: Aly West

On February 22, the Bellbrook Dance Academy (BDA) will showcase a few of their competition dances ranging from solos, small groups, and large group teams in various dance styles at the Bellbrook High School auditorium. 

“I’m super excited because this will be the first ever showcase we’ve held,” senior at BHS and BDA dancer Caroline Cope said. “Normally we use the auditorium at the high school for a private rehearsal before comp, but this year it’s a whole performance open to friends and family.”

The showcase will take place as a great warmup prior to the start of competition season in the spring. 

“Usually our first performance is in front of our families at competitions,” BHS senior and BDA dancer, Kalynn Schaaf said. “There’s a lot less dances at this showcase, so there’s a lot more quick changes for sure.”

In addition to the showcase, Meredith Brinegar, Rilla Brinegar’s mother, has introduced the BDA Boosters to put funds towards the studio. The showcase will feature a variety of raffle baskets contributed by the dance teams and Senior Shadow. 

Senior Shadow took inspiration from the BHS Spirit Committee fundraiser, Senior Sidekick. The participants in Senior Shadow include dancers from Senior Team: Quincy Bettencourt, Aly West, Caroline Cope, Kalynn Schaaf, MaKenna Aspacher, Ella Kapfhamer, Hannah Anderson, and Rilla Brinegar. Younger dancers will have the opportunity to purchase a raffle ticket to shadow one of the Senior Team dancers during their dance classes. 

“I’m not sure how it will work with our class times, but I am definitely excited for Senior Shadow,” Cope said. 

“This showcase is a lot shorter than our recital in June, so I will probably be less stressed about quick changes,” Rilla Brinegar said. “It is also less pressure for me because there will probably be less people there compared to the recital.”