2019 Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival – Photo by Julieanne Harris
The FDA Senior Dance Company, from Freestyle Dance Academy in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, had the honor and privilege to perform in the 2019 Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival. The annual dance festival, held at the Mandell Theater on the campus of Drexel University, hosts youth dance companies from all over the country. Taking applicants from all over, this year the festival accepted companies from as far as California, New York and Virginia. The Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival was organized to showcase some of the best dance talent from all over, with dancers between the ages of 13 and 18 years old, and places them all on stage together in downtown Philadelphia.
The FDA Sr. Dance Company on stage at the Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival
Freestyle Dance Academy not only had the distinction of being accepted into the festival, but was given the exciting task of closing out the final show of the weekend. The FDA Sr. Company worked all winter to prepare a performance for the Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival. The show combined performance quality, technique from multiple dance styles and staging that excited & entertained the audience in the theater. The performance piece, titled “All Around the World,” incorporated an ‘international man/woman of mystery’ theme, enticing viewers to journey around the globe visually & musically with the dancers. Dance styles included hip-hop, house dance, jazz, contemporary and more. The music utilized by the FDA Company also spanned the spectrum from “Lost In Japan” by Shawn Mendes, to “Maria Maria” by Santana, to “All Around The World” by Justin Bieber. Combining musicality & personality, along with costuming & lighting, the dancers from Freestyle Dance Academy closed out the 2019 Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival in style.
“All Around the World” presented by Freestyle Dance Academy
The weekend included a day full of dance workshops for all the performing dancers, before show day. The Philadelphia Youth Festival had dance teachers from around the globe teaching styles such as Afro-Cuban, Contemporary, Yoga, House and more. Festival teachers credits include highlights such as: BalletX, Philadanco, Chisena Danza, World Cafe Live, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Kulu Mele, Pennsylvania Ballet, DUMBO, Fringe and more. Dancers had the opportunity to learn from and build relationships with some of the most influential dancers in the city of Philadelphia. Tech rehearsals were completed, along with a lot of laughs and team building, before show day at the end of the weekend.
The 2019 Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival performing dancers from Freestyle Dance Academy: Amber A., Sammy B., Brianna C., Olivia G., Mia J., Lilli L., Gina R., Tommy W. Choreography by FDA dance teachers Tony Azzaro, Colleen Dougherty & Ali Potye.
Photo by Julieanne Harris
See more photos from the Philadelphia Youth Dance Fest online and on social media! Freestyle Dance Academy is routinely voted among the Best of Bucks County for Dance in 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018. Dance classes are offered in various dance styles including: hip-hop, jazz, breaking (“breakdancing”), musical theatre, lyrical/contemporary, tap, and more. FDA provides high-quality dance education, with professional dance staff, to the Warrington, Chalfont & Doylestown communities. Freestyle Dance Academy is a place for both the recreational, and serious pre-professional dancer, offering different class tracks & opportunities to students, based upon their personal interest in dance.
Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival
