Dancers from Expressions Dance Company, part of Pagosa Springs Dance Academy, competed at the Axis Dance Competition held Valentine’s Day weekend in Farmington, N.M.
The event brought together studios from across New Mexico and Colorado, including teams from Albuquerque, Farmington, Durango and surrounding communities.
At the conclusion of the competition, Expressions Dance Company was awarded the Studio Spirit Award, an honor selected by the event’s backstage staff and presented to the studio that best exemplified encouragement, sportsmanship and team support throughout the weekend.
For the Pagosa Springs team, the recognition carried special meaning.
Expressions was not the largest or most experienced studio in attendance, making the acknowledgment of its positive culture especially significant.
Company directors have worked intentionally to cultivate an environment where dancers support one another, cheer on teammates, and show respect and encouragement to dancers from other studios. The Studio Spirit Award reflects values the directors have emphasized since the beginning of the Expressions Dance Company.
This year marked the fifth time the Pagosa Springs competitive team has attended Axis, which is the one competition each season in which every company member performs.
Company Director Lesley Peck noted that having the full team together creates a strong sense of camaraderie and contributes to the positive atmosphere the dancers bring both backstage and onstage.
Studio Director Katrina Thomas echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that competitions are about more than awards.
She noted that dancers grow not only through constructive judges’ feedback, but also by watching other performers, gaining inspiration from dancers at other studios, and learning how to support fellow artists.
Alongside the Studio Spirit Award, Expressions dancers achieved strong competitive results.
Of the 15 solo performances presented, four earned first-place awards within their categories, three earned third-place finishes and two earned fourth-place finishes.
Group and duet routines were equally successful. Of the 13 group and duet performances, 10 earned first-place awards within their respective categories, with one additional routine earning second place.
Several solo routines also received overall awards, placing in the top 10 highest-scoring performances across all styles within their divisions, a significant achievement.
In solo overall awards, Paige Rogacki and Camellia Bellina each earned first place. Rogacki also received special recognition for earning the highest score of any solo in her competitive division. Lily Peck placed fifth overall, while Avery White earned fifth overall for her self-choreographed solo, and Lily Rogacki placed seventh.
Overall recognition extended to group and duet performances, as well.
The duet performed by Cassidy Luke and Georgia White earned first-place overall in its division. The full-company routine “Footloose” also earned first place overall in its division, a standout achievement for the entire team. The group routine “Art of Noticing” placed first overall, while additional honors included a third-place overall duet by Lily and Penny Peck, a third-place overall finish for the musical theater group “Zero to Hero,” and a fourth-place overall finish for the tap group “Sky Full of Stars.” “Zero to Hero” also received the Highest Point Award for Most Entertaining Routine in its division, a high honor recognizing the dancers’ and choreographer’s ability to light up the stage and captivate the audience.
In addition, judges selected Luke and Avery White for special recognition awards, honoring elements of their performances beyond the standard scoring system.
The Expressions Dance Company will continue its competitive season in March with two additional competitions.
Community members will have the opportunity to see many of these routines performed locally at the Pagosa Springs Dance Academy spring recital on May 2.
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