Debra Sparks Dance Works delivered an outstanding showing at the Beyond The Stars Somerset, NJ regional competition in March, earning top placements across multiple age divisions and styles. DSDW captured first place in Advanced Petite Solo with “Show Off,” and stacked the Advanced Petite Solo division with additional top entries “Business Of Love” and “Wondering.” Their petite groups also shined, sweeping the Advanced Petite Small Group category with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Live In Living Color,” and “Ease On Down The Road,” while “My Boyfriends Back” claimed first in Advanced Petite Large Group and “I Enjoy Being A Girl,” “Not About Angels,” and “Attitude” all placed in Intermediate Petite Large Group.
Junior and teen dancers continued the momentum with standout solo, duo/trio, and group results. DSDW earned first place Intermediate Junior Solo with “Elephants,” and high placements in Advanced Junior Solo for “Wanted,” “The Empress,” “Lost In The Moment,” and “Can You Hear Me.” The team took top honors in several group divisions, including first in Intermediate Junior Small Group for “Devastated,” first in Advanced Junior Small Group for “The Encounter,” and first in Advanced Junior Large Group with “Undertow,” alongside a 2nd place Intermediate Junior Large Group finish for “A Little Bit Of Everything.” In the teen and senior divisions, DSDW dancers secured first place Advanced Teen Solo for “I Believe Her,” multiple top-ten teen solos, and 1st place Advanced Teen Large Group with “The Chain” plus 3rd place for “The Tree Of Life.” Senior dancers capped the weekend with 1st place Advanced Senior Solo for “Shield of Light,” 2nd and 3rd in Advanced Senior Small Group for “Dance Me To The End” and “Salvation,” and 1st place Advanced Senior Large Group with “Money Game.”
Beyond routine placements, Debra Sparks Dance Works was recognized with special honors that highlight the studio’s excellence and artistry. The studio’s “American Horror Story” production claimed 1st place in the 12 and Under Production division, and dancer Jordyn Zimmerman was awarded the 12 and Under Photogenic Award. DSDW also received prestigious IDA nominations, with “Money Game” nominated in the Contemporary/Lyrical/Modern category and “The Chain” nominated in the Acro/Ballet/Open category, underscoring the studio’s creative impact and technical strength on the regional stage.
