CAZENOVIA — Within the past several months, Allure Dance Studio in Cazenovia has competed in two regional dance competitions, taking home multiple awards, including best overall dance studio.
Co-owned by Allison Cornue and Laura Safewright, Allure opened at 52 Albany St. nine years ago. This is the studio’s sixth year competing.
Allure also offers a variety of genres of recreational dance classes for children ages 1-18, including ballet, acrobatics, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theatre.
In March, Allure’s 26-dancer competition team participated in “Starpower Talent” in Syracuse, and in May, the girls competed in “Access Broadway” in Liverpool.
The 2021-2022 teen competition dancers are Sophia Abernathy, 15, Tabitha Abernathy, 15, Emma Carroll, 14, Brooke Devendorf, 18, Emily Gregory, 14, Sophia Kupinsky, 15, Mary McCay, 15, and Sophia Wardell, 17.
The juniors are Kendall Bowden, 10, Kayleigh DeCarlis, 10, Sally Dennis, 12, Keelye DiPinto, 12, Claire Jenner, 11, Mya Maggio, 12, Lila McPhee, 12, Ava Noble, 12, and Rowan Wallace, 11.
The petites are Grace Brainard, 7, Stella Brainard, 7, Viola Cornue, 6, Zoie Goodemote, 7, Evelyn King, 7, Ava Moyer, 8, June Phillips, 8, Arya Rogers, 8, and Charlotte Smith, 7.
The dancers competed with 23 routines — six solos, nine group dances, and eight duets/trios — choreographed by Cornue, Safewright, Courtney Corigliano, and Suzanne Evans.
Allure was named “Best Overall Dance Studio” at Access Broadway, competing against 12 other studios.
“It felt surreal to win the Best Dance Studio award at Access Broadway,” said Cornue. “Our dancers have worked so hard all year and they truly deserved it. It was a blessing to witness our dancers achieve their personal dance goals.”
According to Cornue, all of Allure’s dances placed in the top 10 for their overall age groups at Access Broadway.
The team won six first place overall awards for dances in the following categories: junior/teen production number, teen contemporary group ages 13-15, petites acrobatics group ages six and under, junior jazz duet ages 11-12, junior jazz trio ages 9-10, and teen jazz trio ages 13-16.
Allure also received three second place overalls, three third place overalls, two fourth place overalls, six fifth place overalls, one sixth place overall, one seventh place overall, and one eighth place overall.
At Starpower, Allure won a choreography award, two entertainment awards, a first-place costume award, a second-place costume award, and a third-place costume award.
The team won three first place overall awards for dances in the following categories: junior jazz group ages 9-11, teen contemporary duet ages 15-19, and junior jazz duet ages 12-14.
Allure also received one second place overall and six third place overall awards.
Wardell — who performed in 10 top five overall dances, including three first place overalls and a second place overall solo — described competing this season as “eye-opening.”
“I proved to myself that I can do something I never thought I would be able to do before,” she said. “Definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life joining the competition team.”
On Saturday, May 21, Allure held its ninth annual recital.
In June, the dancers will compete in a national competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
To learn more about Allure, visit the studio’s Facebook page.
