Blevins Academy Of Dance And Drama

No words to describe how proud I am of our girls this week. For a dance school that has only been open 6 years, we’re coming out of this week with a RIDICULOUS number of trophies and placings but completely regardless of that, I am just loving watching their progress year on year. The girls could not do what they do, nor could I do what I do, without the support of our mummies (who were more kind, patient and supportive than ever this week!) Your girls all have so much to giv...e and every single one of them has their own individual strengths which is why they make such a successful team! 💜
OVERALL AWARDS 🏆: *Best Overall Production: Feed the Birds *Highest Mark in Classical Groups: I Believe I Can Fly *Highest Mark in Lyrical Groups: Feed the Birds *Highest Mark in Classical Trio: Evie J, Janey R & Zoë O *Highest Mark in Modern Trio: Abbie T, Evie J & Janey R *Highest Mark in Classical Duet: Evie J & Zoë O *Highest Mark in Modern Duet: Aimee Jo A & Sarah B *Highest Mark in S&D Duet: Evie J & Janey R *Highest Mark in Novice: Abbie M *Highest Mark in Ballet Solo: Evie J *Highest Mark in Charactre Solo: Evie J *Highest Aggregate in Ballet, Charactre & Lyrical: Evie J *Most Promising Dancer 9 & Over: Abby U *Most Promising Junior Dancer: Julia R *Most Promising Charactre Dancer: Evie J
Such a massive amount of talent on display and our girls totally nailed it all week - so proud of everyone who performed! 💜
#BlevinsAcademyFam
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Girls continuing to totally smash it! 🌟 Final day results:
*Inter Tap Duets: 1st Lilia M & Chloe C (both only 11 years old!) *Inter Ballet Duets: 1st Evie J & Zoë O *Lyrical 11-12: 1st Janey R & beautiful solos from Chloe C, Lila Grace B, Lilia M & Zoë O... *S&D 11-12: 1st Chloe C & 4th Janey R *Ballet 13-14: 1st Evie J & beautiful solos from Abbie M & Rachel A *Lyrical 13-14: 1st Rachel A, 2nd Evie J & gorgeous performances from Abigail S & Abbie T *Inter S&D Duets: 1st Evie J & Janey R *Modern 11-12: Joint 3rd from Janey R & Lila Grace B & super dancing from Chloe C & Evie A *Senior S&D Groups: 2nd Legally Blonde *Junior S&D Duets: 3rd Abby U & Maisie D *Inter Modern Duets: 4th Evie J & Janey R
Overall awards to follow! ☺️
#BlevinsAcademyFam
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Day 6 and still alive! 🤣 Results as follows:
*Lyrical 7-8: 1st Éva O, 3rd Poppy M, 4th Grace F & beautiful dancing from Savannah SW *Junior Tap Trios: 1st Abby U, Annie H & Poppy M *Charactre 7-8: 1st Grace M... *Ballet 7-8: 1st Clare K & 3rd Éva O *Ballet 9-10: 1st Abby U, 3rd Maisie D & beautiful solo from Kendall W *Inter Tap Trios: 2nd Chloe C, Rachel A & Zoë O *Charactre 9-10: 2nd Maisie D & 3rd Sara V *Senior Modern Troupes: 2nd Vogue *Inter Lyrical Troupes: joint 2nd for You Will Be Found & True Colours *Ballet 11-12: 2nd Lila Grace B, 3rd Janey R, 4th Lilia M & super dancing from Chloe C & Zoë O *Tap 11-12: 3rd Janey R, 4th tied Chloe C & Zoë O & fab dancing from Lilia M *S&D 9-10: brilliant performance from Abby U *Lyrical 9-10: beautiful solos from Abby U, Dinah N & Maisie D
Exhaustingly busy day but so much fun! 💜 #BlevinsAcademyFam
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Results from Day 5 of NI Invitational Festival 💃🏼:
*Novice Tap 13-14: 1st Evie J *Charactre 13-14: 1st Evie J *Modern 7-8: 1st Savannah SW & 3 super performances from Grace F, Éva O & Poppy M... *Tap 7-8: 2nd Poppy M *Modern 9-10: 2nd Dinah N, 4th Abby U & super solos from Maisie D & Sara V *Inter Modern Troupes: 2nd The Mystery Gang *Tap 13-14: 3rd Rachel A *Novice S&D 11-12: 3rd Lilia M *Novice Ballet 11-12: lovely solos from Elise M & Evie A *Tap 9-10: fab performance from Abby U *Novice Modern 13-14: great performance from Holly T
Keep up the awesome dancing! 🥰 #BlevinsAcademyFam
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It’s been so lovely to sit back and enjoy you all performing this week! ☺️💜 Yesterday’s results:
*Senior Modern Duets: 1st Aimee Jo A & Sarah B *Modern 13-14: 1st Evie J & amazing dancing from Rachel A, Abigail S & Abbie T in a super strong section *Novice Ballet 9-10: 1st Sarah Jane S, 2nd Ella D, 4th Dinah & super dancing from Lili... *Novice Lyrical 9-10: 2nd Sarah Jane S & fabulous dancing from Sara V, Mollie B, Kendall W & Annie H *Novice Modern 9-10: 2nd Ella D & super dancing from Mollie B *Novice Modern 11-12: 2nd Lilia M, 4th Clara A & a brilliant performance from Abbie F *Inter Lyrical Duets: 3rd Janey R & Julia R & a beautiful duet from Clara A & Evie A *Novice Lyrical 11-12: 4th Abbie F & a stunning performance from Clara A *Novice Tap 11-12: brilliant tapping from Lila Grace B
#BlevinsAcademyFam
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Always proud regardless of results but these girls outdid themselves today! 🥰
*Senior Lyrical Troupes: 1st Feed the Birds (with an average age of 13!!!) *Inter Modern Trio: 1st Abbie T, Evie J & Janey R *Charactre 6&U: 1st Emily U... *Novice Lyrical 7-8: 1st Clare K & 2nd Julia R *Novice S&D 7-8: 1st Clare K *Novice S&D 9-10: 2nd Maisie D *Ballet 6&U: 2nd Emily U & 3rd Ella M *Lyrical 6&U: 2nd Emily U *Novice Modern 7-8: 2nd Julia R, 3rd Freya M & 4th Alex M
Hope everyone is having fun so far! ☺️💜 #BlevinsAcademyFam
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Not much on today but still a lovely day! 💜
*Inter Ballet Troupes: 1st I Believe I Can Fly (highest ballet mark of the festival so far. I am SO happy for such lovely comments to be made on our ballet technique - it’s something I value so much! ☺️ We just needed those few “practice runs” first! 😜) *Lyrical Solo 17-21: 2nd Sarah B *Junior Lyrical Troupes: 3rd My Favourite Things... *Ballet Solo 15+: 4th Heather L *Modern Solo 17-21: 4th Sarah B
Today was “the best day of my life” according to a few of our little ones! 😂🥰 Bring on the madness of next week! 🙈💜
#BlevinsAcademyFam
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What a day! 🌟🌟🌟
*Modern Solo 6&U (1): 1st Emily U & super first solo from Ella M *Modern Solo 6&U (2): 1st Alara Y with her first ever solo *Novice Tap Solo 7-8: 1st Freya M, 3rd Grace M & great first solo from Bella M... *Novice Lyrical Solo 13-14: 1st Abbie M *Novice Ballet Solo 7-8: 1st Julia R, 4th Poppy M & fabulous dancing from Savannah SW & Freya M *Inter Ballet Trios: 1st Janey R, Evie J & Zoë O *Junior Modern Troupes: 2nd Run the World *Junior Tap Troupes: 2nd Mambo Italiano
And finishing the day with the fabulous news that Sarah once again made the final cut and top 4 in her Disney audition, gaining 100/100 in the dance section! 🥰
Super proud of everyone day! Well done superstars! 🌟💜
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🌟 Essay alert...but it’s a worthwhile one! 🌟
With the Northern Ireland Invitational Festival starting tomorrow, I just had to share this - I absolutely love it! 💕
Competition dancing is SO much more than medals and trophies. I am an extremely competitive person (it’s a Blevins thing! 🙈), a people-pleaser and a perfectionist (again, all Blevins things!) but I never value my worth or my ability as a teacher on awards or accolades. Of course, it is lovely to place and for hard ...work to be rewarded but please appreciate the experience and the much more valuable traits dancing instils in our kids over any piece of metal!
Believe it or not, I have heard parents tell kids, “if you win, I’ll buy you such-and-such” or “that’s so good, you’ll definitely get a trophy!” or “you definitely deserved that one!” - please DO NOT be one of these parents! 🤦🏼‍♀️ Do not teach your child to value their self-worth on a trophy or their ability on one person’s opinion. Instead, praise them for their hard work, bravery and effort! Some you win, some you lose. Sometimes we dance exceptionally and don’t place, other times we dance averagely and surprisingly do! No matter how well rehearsed we are, sometimes things will go well, sometimes things will be a disaster (like falling through the back curtain on top of your duet partner...you know who you are! 🙊🙈🤣) And sometimes, like anything in life, people are just better than you - and that’s the hard but honest truth! NONE of these things make you a bad dancer!!!
When our kiddies have grown up and the time comes to look back at their time at dancing, the likelihood is they won’t remember how many medals they won or didn’t win - their memories will be of all the craic they had backstage, that amazing or super itchy costume, the time they fell over on stage and couldn’t stop laughing, the going out for lunch with their dance friends...you get the idea! At the end of the day, whether our kids choose to go on to dance professionally, apply to university or go straight into work, employers are not going to care how many medals or trophies they’ve won - they’ll be far more interested in those who are hard-working, loyal, gracious, determined and have positive attitudes, even when things aren’t always easy!
Have a blast this week Blevins Academy Fam - cannot wait to see you all onstage! 💜🌟💜
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Very proud of all these little ladies! 💜🌟
They competed in the NI Championships at the weekend for the first time - a competition you only qualify for based on your marks/placings throughout the year so it really is only the highest of highest standards and a massive achievement in itself to qualify. The talent on display the whole day is incredible - a real testament that the standard of dance in NI is really on the way up - all teachers should be super proud!!! 💪🏼🙌🏼 Huge co...ngratulations to all those who place from our school and others!
Inter Duets - 3rd Evie J & Janey R (Modern) Solos 7-8 - 3rd Poppy M (Tap) Solos 17+ - 2nd Sarah B (Modern)
Janey also won some doughnuts for her efforts in winning musical statues - definitely worth celebrating if you’d seen her moves! 🤣
Huge well done to all our girlies! All styles compete against one another and the standard in all age groups is incredibly high - in every category the results could have gone so many different ways. Such an entertaining day! ☺️
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Love this! 🥰 So so true! Those who take on their own corrections, as well as listen to those of others, are the kids I find that progress the quickest. It’s all in your attitude!! How you take a correction, says a lot about you as a learner - it is NEVER an insult! If your attitude sucks, it makes it very hard for a teacher to help you progress. My whole entire job is based on being a GUIDE to HELP you learn and be the best YOU can be. It’s YOUR job to apply those corrections - I cannot do the hard work for you!!! 😉💜

‼️CASH FOR CLOBBER‼️
As part of our continued fundraising for all children at Blevins Academy, this week we are collecting useable unwanted clothes, shoes and handbags (no underwear please). There is no limit to the amount of bags we can accept so please don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends. The more the merrier!!!
Drop off for any bags being donated is at the studio, between the 14th and 22nd May ONLY.
... Thank you for your continued support. 💜
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Might spy a few familiar faces in the opening of this video! 😉🥰💜

The Mystery Gang...nailing it at Dance Inspirations! 💜🥰

🌟💜 DANCE INSPIRATIONS 💜🌟
*8 & Under Lyrical Solos: 1st - Savannah S-W 2nd - Éva O
... *8 & Under Jazz Solos: 1st - Savannah S-W 2nd - Éva O 3rd - Grace F
*8 & Under Ballet Solos: 1st - Savannah S-W
*9-11 Lyrical Solos: 1st - Lilia M Super solos from Lila Grace B & Maisie D
*9-11 Jazz Solos: 3rd - Chloe C Fab dancing from Sara V
*9-11 Ballet Solos: 1st - Lilia M
* 9-11 Tap Solos: 1st - Chloe C 2nd - Lila Grace B 3rd - Lilia M
*9-11 Musical Theatre: 1st - Chloe C
*12-14 Lyrical Solos: 1st - Evie J Beautiful dancing from Janey R
*12-14 Jazz Solos: 2nd - Janey R
*12-14 Ballet Solos: 1st - Evie J
*12-14 Open Solos: 1st - Evie J (Charactre)
*12-14 Novice Solos: 1st - Abbie F (Jazz)
*12 & Under Lyrical/Contemporary Groups: 1st - My Favourite Things 2nd - True Colours
*12 & Under Theatre Style Groups: 1st - Run the World
*Over 12 Lyrical/Contemporary Groups: 1st - Feed the Birds 2nd - You Will Be Found
*Over 12 Theatre Style Groups: 3rd - The Mystery Gang
*Over 12 Theatre Style Duets/Trios: 1st - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Janey R & Evie J) 2nd - Sisters (Chloe C, Zoë O & Rachel A) 3rd - When You’re An Addams (Janey R & Evie J)
*Over 12 Lyrical/Contemporary/Classical Duets/Trios: 1st - Somewhere Only We Know (Zoë O, Janey R & Evie J)
🌟🌟🌟
OVERALL AWARDS: *Mini Miss Dance Inspirations: Savannah S-W
*Junior Miss Dance Inspirations: Evie J
*Overall Highest Mark in Duets & Trios: 1st - Somewhere Only We Know (Janey R, Zoë O & Evie J) 2nd - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Janey R & Evie J)
*Overall Highest Mark in Groups: 1st - Feed the Birds 2nd - You Will Be Found
*Lyrical Challenge Finalists: Evie J, Janey R & Zoë O with Evie J making Top 3 - well done to all our girlies who were brave enough to take part!
These types of competitions are full on and exhausting and I am so proud of how all the girls coped and helped each other out backstage! Apologies I completely sucked at photographing Duets/Trios/Groups as there were so many quick changes but you are ALL amazing!!!
Every soloist/duet/trio/group that placed automatically qualifies for the European final in Blackpool next year - now the question is, to Blackpool or not to Blackpool?! 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣💜
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Will definitely be recording! I’m sure lots of our ballet dancers would enjoy this - I’ve seen previous ones and they’ve always been great! ☺️💜

Always wanted to try dance but anxious you might not be able to keep up? THIS IS THE CLASS FOR YOU. My mum runs two very busy Fitsteps (Strictly-style dancing without a partner!) each week and is introducing new Fitsteps FAB - essentially the same thing but at a lower intensity to suit older participants, beginners or just those who worry about keeping up with the regular class. She’s very good at what she does...if I do say so myself! 🙈🤣 Free taster class information below! Feel free to bring people along and give it a go with no pressure to sign up. I cannot stress the benefits of dance to your mental, social and physical wellbeing!!!💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

Shared before but re-sharing as I just love this woman! 🥰❤️