As winter winds swirled across campus, the Grier Dance Company ignited the stage at the annual Motion Dance Competition on February 8th and 9th. They competed over the course of the weekend, wowing audiences with their technique and skill.
The convention, which in dance, is a series of classes taught over multiple days, featured both a competition on Saturday and a professional dance show on Sunday. Local companies like Centre Dance, Legacy Performing Arts Center, Main Street Dance Company, and Mercersburg Academy joined Grier School to take classes each morning for five hours before showcasing their work in front of the instructors, who doubled as judges.
In the Advanced room, Saturday kicked off with auditions for Motion Elite, an exclusive group of dancers chosen to open the professional show on Sunday. Each year, a guest choreographer is invited to create this high energy piece. This year, the school welcomed Mishay Petronelli who set the choreography to “Let Me Think About It” by Fedde Le Grand. Petronelli, a model, director, actor, dancer, and choreographer, was in the 2017 movie “The Greatest Showman” as one of the dancers. She has also been featured in many music videos with significant singers, like Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, and Madonna. In addition, she was the assistant choreographer for Beyoncé’s Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.
The audition was formatted like a typical class, beginning with a warm-up before moving into learning a combination that was excerpted from the final routine. Dancers were then split into groups to perform the combo while Petronelli observed and made her selections. Those chosen spent the rest of the day learning the full piece, while the remaining dancers continued with their scheduled classes. On Sunday, the selected dancers attended classes with everyone else before taking the stage as the highly anticipated opening act for the professional show.
The weekend was long and tiring but ultimately rewarding in the end. Senior, Julia Kirby, commented on the hard work they needed to put in. “Even though classes get tiring by the end, it’s important to push through for these great opportunities,” Kirby said.
The instructors at the competition were all world-class. Kirby noted that each instructor has a noteworthy career, and they are all “educated on the craft of dance.” Robert J. Priore ran students through the “Ring of Fire,” an abs sequence including 2 minute planks. Kirby stressed his motto: “mandatory, not optional.” Priore’s success in the dance world proves that his words should be trusted. He founded his own dance company, Priore Dance, choreographed for CityDance Choreography, and televised a piece during the Mark Twain Prize Ceremony.
Another instructor, Joshua Pelatzky, has performed with many famous singers. Most notably, he has been in both Kesha’s music videos and on-stage performances. But it doesn’t stop there; Pelatzky has worked with others such as Kelly Clarkson, FKA Twigs, Rihanna, Eminem, and many more.
Dario Natarelli, a professional tap dancer who has performed on Broadway and teaches at New York’s Broadway Dance Center, taught a contemporary class in the morning. “I saw so much creativity and athleticism,” he said, impressed by the dancers’ polish and the younger dancers’ boldness. Judging performances across hip-hop, contemporary, and jazz, he awarded 9s and 10s, calling Grier’s tight-knit community “amazing” and “unique.” For Dario, returning to teach at a smaller school like his own high school feels nostalgic. “I love giving back,” he said.
The competition was vast with the dance groups containing four different age classes ranging from mini to senior dancers. Grier performed ten group dances–six senior group dances and four teen group dances. Additionally, there were two contemporary senior solos. Senior Lexi Bickley performed “She’s Always a Woman” by Billy Joel and helped choreograph junior Ava Beiswenger’s solo to “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez. Competing in the teen solo category, freshman Rebeca Villaneuva performed her own jazz number.
Villaneuva’s solo, “Little Yes,” stood out as she was the only individual to choreograph her own solo. The young dancer had previous experience, considering that she did her first solo at last year’s Motion competition, but she says that choreographing her own dance was an unfamiliar and nerve-racking obstacle. Villaneuva dedicated time to researching the elements that she wanted to include in her number, and as a result, displayed an impressive jazz number. Villaneuva’s hard work was rewarded with the trophy for Overall Best Teen Solo, which she described as “her biggest flex in life right now” with a beaming smile.
Talented 14-year-old dancer, Talia Craig, placed second after Villaneuva for teen solos. Craig currently dances with MainStreet Dance Company and has been learning the art since she was five. She has been coming to Grier dance competitions and performances for the past 4 years. Craig praised Grier for its positive atmosphere and added that coming to campus is “always such a great experience.” Craig said that the classes prior to the competition were fun and expressed excitement for the second portion of the competition, as she was chosen for Motion Elite. She was thrilled with her placing of Second Overall Best Teen Solo and affirmed that she will be coming back to Grier for Motion next year.
In the senior category, pre-professional dancer Roberta Lopez, ‘27, shared that the first day of motion was delightful. She was proud of the skill-level she was able to display in the classes and felt that she was dancing exceptionally well. One critique Lopez had was that the window of time between the classes and performance was a struggle since she only had an hour to prepare before the first senior group dance.
Despite the struggle, Lopez, along with her peers in the pre-professional program, put on an excellent show, claiming gold for all but one of their dances. These talented dancers pushed through their fatigue from the morning classes and large quantities of dance numbers, exhibiting an extraordinary example of passion and determination. When asked how she deals with her growing exhaustion in the middle of performances, Lopez replied, “I just breathe.” She added, “The more I perform, the less I get tired because I enjoy it so much.”
Grier alumna Jillian Hrzic, ‘24, now at George Mason University’s dance program, returned to take classes and perform with Grier, as part of Priore’s Compañía Medusa. During Winter Break, she returned to Grier, to choreograph Bickley’s solo. Hrzic also served as the presenter at the competition, adding to the full circle moment of her return.
When reflecting on her years in Grier’s pre-professional program she said, “I wouldn’t be the dancer I am without it.” Hrzic said that it is “heartwarming” to see the new generation of dancers get to enjoy the enriching experience that she once had. She loved the pre-professionals “strong and clean” contemporary piece “Unlearning,” and says that she looks forward to coming back to Motion for many years to come.
The weekend concluded with an exciting scholarship award ceremony, recognizing outstanding talent and dedication. Rob Priore awarded scholarships to attend next year’s Motion Competition and Convention for free to senior Marcela Baeza and junior Camilla Corral. While sophomore, Isabella Trabucco, earned a prestigious scholarship to take free classes at the Broadway Dance Center, awarded by Mishay Petronelli. Additionally, Joshua Pelatzky awarded a scholarship to all dancers in “Negative Space,” a contemporary piece choreographed by Roni Koresh and performed by Grier’s Pre-Professional Company. The dancers received 25% off for the cost of the World Dance Movement intensive in Italy, offering them the opportunity to further their training this summer on a global stage.
From rising stars to proud alumni, Motion showcased Grier’s vibrant dance legacy and team bond.
