Motion Dance Company performs at Nationals in Branson, Mo.

The Motion Dance Company of Stockton traveled to Branson, Mo., Sunday, June 26th, to compete in the Starpower Nationals Dance Competition. The event was held from Monday, June 27 to Friday, July 1st, and was their third and final competition this season.

Motion dancer Claire Plumer of Stockton brought home the biggest prize of them all—the Grand Champion award for her Solo dance. She performed a dance to “Fire On Fire,” which was choreographed by Motion Dance Company instructor, Payton Keller. Plumer competed against 36 other dancers in this category.

“I am so proud of the dancer Claire has become since she joined us 10 years ago,” said Keller. “Just two years ago, we were telling her to point her feet, straighten her legs, and show more emotion on stage, and now at the age of 16, she is a National Champion Solist,” she continued.

Plumer’s outstanding performance earned her a competition-best Five Stars, 1st Place in Open Category, and 1st place Overall Champion.

“Her dedication to our company and dance team is endless. Lots of hard moves were put together for her in this solo, along with lots of sweat and tears, but she did it...she didn’t give up and wouldn’t let herself give up,” Keller said. “We are extremely thankful that Brad and Daphne (Plumer) share their daughter with us,” Keller concluded.

Winning 1st place Overall is something Plumer has always hoped for since she began dancing.

“For as long as I have been dancing, I have dreamed of bringing home a 1st Place Overall trophy. This year, I finally reached that goal,” said Claire. “I have put a lot of time and effort into dance over the past 10 years and I am so grateful to have this opportunity,” she added.

“I would like to thank Daneen Keller for all the years she has coached me and helped me grow into the dancer I am today. I would also like to thank Payton Keller, our new dance coach this year, forting all of her creativity into my Solo and helping me improve and push myself,” stated Plumer.

Preparing for these competitions requires dedication to hard work. Both Team and Recreational dance groups practiced about four hours a week. The Team dance season is 11 months long, with the Recreational being nine months.

Payton is in charge of the Team dancers and her mother, Daneen Keller, co-owner along with Payton, is in charge of the Recreational dance group.

Plumer, along with Ella Snyder of Motion Dance Company, was chosen to participate in the Starpower Dance Force. This select group of 46 of the top dancers from the various studios practiced nine hours in a course of five days to create a dance to show off the last day before the Battle of the Stars dances.

Plumer’s cheerleading skills landed her an impressive Toe Touch Basket Toss at the end of the performance.

Plumer’s winning performance can be seen at: https://www.facebook. com/222473684594552/ videos/429713305835397

The dance team took a total of eight dancers and 11 dances to this year’s big event. All of the dances were choreographed by their coach, Payton Keller.

Besides Plumer and Snyder, also competing at Nationals and winning some very nice awards for the Motion Dance Company included: Ruthie Voss and Mia Odle of Stockton; and first-year dancers Ryann Moffatt of Phillipsburg, and Evelynn Hilbrink, Serenity Carpenter, and Haddie Carpenter, all of Stockton.

Other performances by the Motion Dance Company Team, along with their placings, are as follows:

Ella Snyder received a 1st place in her Solo called, “Carry You.” Ryann Moffatt, Claire Plumer, Ella Snyder and Ruthie Voss all performed to the song, “Vogue,” and received 1st Place in the Open Category and 8th Place Overall.

“Turning Tables,” performed by Claire Plumer, Ella Snyder, Ruthie Voss, Ryann Moffatt, Evelynn Hilbrink, Mia Odle, Haddie Carpenter and Serenity Carpenter, won 1st Place in Open Category and 3rd Place Overall.

Claire Plumer and Ella Snyder’s duo called, “Alarm” earned 1st place in Open Category and 5th place Overall. “This dance was discussed and choreographed one month before we went to Nationals,” Payton said.

Haddie Carpenter, Serenity Carpenter, Evelynn Hilbrink and Mia Odle all participated in the Top Gun Dance Challenge. This is a dance-down where the dancers go up on stage with many other kids, learn a one-minute dance in 30 minutes and have to remember it. The judges then choose who gets to move forward to the next round.

Keller couldn’t have been more proud of these girls in the Challenge. “The girls all got out of their comfort zone and impressed all of us. They did amazing,” she said.

Although there for five days of intense dance competition, the dancers (and parents, too) enjoyed a little downtime. Several went to Moonshine Beach while the majority of free time was spent at Branson Landing—the parents spending time together while the dancers enjoyed shopping.

This was a year to remember for the Motion Dance Company crew as they had to temporarily move studio space three different times following a fire at the building at 422 Main Street in Stockton. “We were finally able to move back and start up dance again with new floors in early April,” stated Keller.

“We want to thank all the community members for supporting us throughout the season and we are all looking forward to this upcoming season,” she concluded.