Starz Dance Competition

UPCOMING COMPETITION

Upcoming Workshops

2021 Standout Dancers

Inviting all 2020 & 2021 Standout Dancers to participate in this year’s performance!

What Are Standout Dancers?

Dancers that especially impress the judges are selected at each one of our Regional events. They are awarded a Standout Dancer certificate and are invited to come to our Nationals to work with a professional choreographer on a production number that opens up our Grand National Groups on the last day of the competition. Dancers from 2020 & 2021 are invited to participate in this year’s performance.

How do I get register for it?

Studios or individuals must email office@midweststarz.com with the following information by May 17th. Dancer’s First & Last Name, Studio, age, which Nationals event that they are attending, do they want to order a T-shirt? If yes, what size? Is the dancer interested in being a part of extra sections like Tap or Hip Hop?

When will rehearsals be?

Rehearsal times will be posted by Wednesday, May 12th 2021. Generally, each age group will have two 1-2 hour rehearsals throughout the week and one longer rehearsal the night before the performance to practice with all age groups on the stage. We build the schedule so that rehearsals will not interfere with the dancers’ competing times.

What style of dance will the performance be?

The choreography will primarily be Jazz, but might have sections of other styles like Tap, Hip Hop, or Contemporary throughout. Dancers are encouraged to bring all their shoes in case they are placed in other parts of the dance.

Does it cost anything to participate?

No, it does not cost anything for the dancers to participate. They do have an option of ordering a $5 Standout Dancer T-shirt to wear during the performance.

What will the dancers wear?

Dancers will wear either a standout dancer t-shirt or an outfit that matches their age group’s colors. Black shorts or pants should be worn with it.

Ordering Standout Dancer T-shirts?

We are offering Standout Dancer T-shirts for only $5.00. Dancers can either put in an order for one or bring their own outfit to wear that matches the colors of the age group. Black shorts or pants can be worn with it. Shirt orders must be in by May 17th.

Payment for the shirt can be paid at the event when the dancer checks in at retail.

Introducing our 2021 Standout Dancer Choreographer!

Christina Yoder

Christina Yoder is a native of Portersville, PA. Through high school, she received numerous awards and scholarships for dance as well as performed in the half-time show of the Pro-Bowl. Christina went on to pursue a BA in Dance and Psychology from Muhlenberg College where she had the opportunity to choreograph for and perform in numerous concerts in both formal and informal settings. Her choreography has been seen at the American College Dance Festival regional gathering, and she performed another student’s work at the ACDF national festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

After college, Christina moved to New Jersey where she taught at several studios and really allowed her love of teaching to develop. She has shown her abilities as a versatile teacher being able to instruct her students in all levels of tap, lyrical, jazz, ballet, and also voice. Her students there have been recognized for their impeccable technique and emotive dance qualities and have been seen not only on the competition dance stage but also in commercial and print work. They have gone on to win regional and national titles. Some have also booked national tours and Broadway shows, are pursuing dance in college, are on nationally ranked college dance teams, professional basketball dance teams, are division I cheerleaders, and even dance teachers. As a choreographer, Christina’s work has been recognized with numerous choreography awards.

Regional theater credits include A Chorus Line (with Mark Bovey), Kiss Me Kate, and Annie Get Your Gun (dance captain). She has choreographed productions of Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors, and Honk the Musical. As a professional dancer, Christina has performed with The Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers, What’s on Tap and others. She has also taught numerous tap and lyrical/contemporary master classes as well as has been a competition judge.

Christina completed two national/international tours with VEE Corporation’s Sesame Street Live where she helped Ernie and then Baby Bear with their dance moves. She was also an understudy, having to learn and perform any of 13 different roles in certain situations. Her last tour was an international journey to Asia where she performed in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Malaysia.

Christina is a sought-after tap and lyrical teacher in North-East Ohio, teaching at several studios throughout the area. She is a cofounder and director of the Northeast Tap Collaborative and the Rock City Tap Festival, and Resonance, a tap only dance convention. Christina is also a fitness professional, instructing a variety of fitness classes at local gyms and fitness clubs. She and her husband, Adam, have one son, Ezekiel.

Choreography Videos

Each age group’s choreography will be sent out and posted online 3 weeks before the Wisconsin Dells event (May 26th). Dancers are expected to learn their section of choreography to speed up the learning process during rehearsals.

Videos will include a break down of the choreography (from the back & front) with counts as well as with the music. Videos will be posted here on our website.