MANSFIELD, Ohio – Mansfield has a national championship team in its midst, thanks to a group of dancers from Rising Starz Dance Studio on Ashland Road. The team of eight girls now has their sights set on a world dance championship in August.
The Rising Starz competed and won in the dance division of the Nexstar National Championship from June 27 through July 2 at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky. Krista Carpenter, coach and owner of Rising Starz Dance Studio, said the entire studio excelled during the three days they competed.
“We got first place in all of our routines, our juniors got all High Gold (only one level beneath the highest award, Platinum), so we had a really good week,” said Carpenter.
After a week of championships, high scoring routines were invited to perform and re-compete on the final day of competition at “The Big Show,” including the Rising Starz. The girls performed a hip-hop routine, a dance that consists of the latest street dance style as seen in current dance videos, in the PreStar Level, the level division for dancers new to competition.
When it was time to announce the winners, the Rising Starz held their breath. Shelby Fife, a senior with four years of dancing experience at Rising Starz, said she was anxious throughout the week.
“We were up against a lot of people so I was kind of nervous,” said Fife. “I was so surprised when we won, I couldn’t believe it.”
“We were all in shock of course, we didn’t expect it because there were numerous studios there with amazing dancers,” said Carpenter. “When they said our name confetti blew everywhere and it was just amazing, it happened so fast.”
To qualify for the World Dance Championship, dance teams can be the recipient of the “Wild Card Golden Ticket” awarded at a Star Dance Alliance Competition, or part of a routine that is invited to the “Big Show” at a Star Dance Alliance National Championship. The Rising Starz did both.
“We got the golden ticket to New Jersey,” said senior Ashley Gerhart, who has been dancing with Rising Starz for five years. “We cried, we laughed, and we cried some more.”
The eight Rising Starz girls part of the Hip Hop routine will travel to the World Dance Championship in Meadowlands, New Jersey from Aug. 5 through 8 – Baylee Carpenter, Ashley Gerhart, Shelby Fife, Bailey Weaver, Ariel Figueroa, Cassie Everhart, Cassandra King and Sydney Shasky. The winning routine was choreographed by coaches Carpenter, Brittany Onie and Carey Harris.
The team has been holding fundraising events all around Mansfield in order to raise money to travel to the World Dance Championship, and to spread the word about their dance studio. But Carpenter noted the Rising Starz aren’t all about serious competitions – what she enjoys most is watching her dancers grow and advance their skills.
“I’m so proud of these girls and I’m so amazed at their accomplishments and how far they went,” she said. “I’m looking forward to watching these girls get up there and do their thing and what they’re good at. I knew they could do it – I’m still in shock, it caught me off guard – but I’m really proud of them.”
“We got first place in all of our routines, our juniors got all High Gold (only one level beneath the highest award, Platinum), so we had a really good week,” said coach Krista Carpenter.
