YMCA Dancers Compete in Nationals;
In Motion Spirit Award Among the Highlights

The YMCA’s competitive dance team just finished a very busy competition season, culminating with Nationals. “It is always so nice to see the works of my amazing team of instructors come to life on stage one final time with our very talented dancers, said Tiffany Joslin, YMCA Director of Arts & Humanities and camping services.  Competing in Nationals were 29 YMCA of Greater Nashua In-Motion dancers. They competed in these categories: solos, duos, trios, small groups, and large groups. The event was held July 11 – 14 in Mystic, Connecticut and is hosted by “World Class Talent Experience.”

“Nationals is our biggest competition of the season. The team, dancers and staff, put in a lot of hard work and it’s amazing to see the progress the team has made from the beginning of the competitive season to the end. This year, our Nationals were made even more special by our team winning the Studio Spirit award, not only for the love they have for each other and their team, but for their supportiveness and kindness towards all the other teams in attendance, said Kristen Capriotti, Assistant Director of the Arts.

To receive the studio spirit award is a huge accomplishment for our team, and our dancers. We were up against some tough competition, and for our team to stand out above all other for this award was the perfect way to end our competition season!

Cheers to our dancers and our dance department staff for this array of awards at Nationals:

Studio Spirit Award

Judges Award for ‘Affliction’ by Kaleigh Mulligan
Judges Award for’ I Wanna Party’ by Gloria Torres
Judges Award for ‘Peas in a Pod’ by Kristen Capriotti
Ambition Scholarship for Ainsley Mansfield
Ambition Scholarship for Keira Jones
Elite Performance Team for Kenzy Bibawi
Broadway Intensive Scholarship for Ashley Van Valkenburg

Top Overall Teen Duo/Trio: 

String Theory
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancers: Fiona Corbett and Katarina Capriotti

Glam
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancers: Katarina Capriotti and Ella Wharton

Top Overall Teen Solo:

Flicker
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancer: Katarina Capriotti

Top Overall Junior Solo:

Ordinary Miracle
Choreographed by Kristen Capriotti
Dancer: Ainsley Mansfield

Beautiful Dreamer
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancer: Karina Lopez

Top Overall Petite Solo:

Bippity Boppity Boo
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancer: Maria Lopez

Top Overall Petite Duo/Trio:

Here Comes the Sun
Choreographed by Kristen Capriotti
Dancers: Ava Rodon and Emma Pippenger

Safe and Sound
Choreographed by Siamara Niven
Dancers: Karina Lopez and Maria Lopez

Top Overall Junior Duo/Trio:

Smile
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancers: Karina Lopez and Ainsley Mansfield

Ice Cream Freeze
Choreographed by Siamara Niven
Dancers: Leah McKenney and Katie Pippenger

Top Overall Senior Solo:

Body Language
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancer: Josianny Ramos Ruano

Zazz
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancer: Ashley Van Valkenburg

Too Bright
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancer: Fiona Corbett

Hero
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancer: Kenzy Bibawi

Top Overall Senior Duo/Trios:

Different Kind of Love
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancers: Kenzy Bibawi and Fiona Corbett

Peas in a Pod
Choreographed by Kristen Capriotti
Dancers: Ashley Van Valkenburg and Audra Hamelin

Better
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancers: Ashley Van Valkenburg and Katelyn Krisak

Top Overall Senior Large Groups:

Black Cat
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancers: Katarina Capriotti, Ella Wharton, Kenzy Bibawi, Katelyn Krisak, Kaitlyn Vadney, Josianny Ruano Ramos, Fiona Corbett, Margaret Barker, Keira Jones, Audra Hamelin

National Champion for Junior Small Group:

I Wanna Party
Choreographed by Gloria Torres
Dancers: Natalie Fluet, Katie Pippenger, Angie Ng, and Leah McKenney

National Champion for Senior Small Group:

Affliction
Choreographed by Kaleigh Mulligan
Dancers: Katarina Capriotti, Kenzy Bibawi, Fiona Corbett, Kaitlyn Vadney, Josianny Ramos Ruano, and Joelle Schnyer

National Champion for Senior Duo/Trio:

Fast Car
Choreographed by Tiffany Joslin
Dancers: Fiona Corbett, Josianny Ramos Ruano, and Joelle Schnyer