George Lon Essay Contest Winner
                                                                 
                                                                  Henry Snyder
                                                      (St. Saviors School of Dance)


What Has Dance Done for Me?

 As Martha Graham once said, “All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital and worth living.”   Dance, to me, is only a moment in my life. I know I will never be on Broadway, or in the Ballet, and I won’t be taking many classes when I go off to college this year, but that is what makes dance so precious. Me being able to make it here, to a national competition, still shocks me. I am a regular guy, who literally stumbled across dance. I only started dancing when I was 14, a far cry from most of the people in this room. And I know that I will probably never be able to do a quadruple pirouette, but my passion matches any of the dancers that you will see today.   Martha Graham really did say it best, the single moment in time is more important than anything else. That moment should be what you could die for, and that is this moment. I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t have dance. I wouldn’t be as outgoing, or nearly as determined, but it doesn’t matter. I am who I am because of dance and that will never change. My pointe is not as good as other dancers, and my battements aren’t nearly as high, but for those 2 minutes on stage, I know that I am important, and I belong, making all the hard work over the years worth it.    

13& Over Solo Nominees 2013
Dumbing Down of Love-Madison Tainsh               Vlad’s Dance Company                               Richmond Hill, ONT Can  
 Your Song-Francesca Crupi                                    For Dancers Only                                        Little Falls, NJ  
Try-Christina Kotsopoulos                                       Vlad’s Dance Company                               Richmond Hill, ONT Can  
Cry Me A River-Sophia Ludwig                                In Motion Dance Project                              Orlando, FL
Rubik’s Cube-Shale Wagman                                   Vlad’s Dance Company                               Richmond Hill, ONT Can
Turning Page-Lakota Knuckle                                  Lisa Naves Dance Company                      Simcoe, Canada  
Somebody-Jade Whitney                                          Vlad’s Dance Company                               Richmond Hill, ONT Can
Prosepina-Olivia Cece                                               Atwood Performing Arts                                Cranston, RI

13 & Over Solo Winners 2013  
1st Place - Try-Christina Kotsopoulos Vlad’s Dance Company
2nd Place - Rubik’s Cube-Shale Wagman Vlad’s Dance Company  
3rd Place - Somebody-Jade Whitney Vlad’s Dance Company  

13 & Over Duo/Trio Nominees 2013
If                                Mid Atlantic Center for the Perf. Arts                         Baltimore, MD
Adam & Eve             Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can  
Moon River               For Dancers Only                                                       Little Falls, NJ  
Act of Kindness       Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can  
Not As We                Canadian School of Dance                                          Nepean, ONT, Can
Be Resolved            Lisa Naves Dance Company                                       Simcoe, Can    

13 & Over Duo/Trio Winners 2013
1st Place - Act of Kindness   Vlad’s Dance Company  
2nd Place - Adam & Eve Vlad’s Dance Company  
3rd Place - Not As We Canadian School of Dance  

13 & Over Small Group Nominees 2013
You Give Me Fever                         Leeming Danceworks                                                  Ottawa, ONT, Can 
 It Leaves A Space                         Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can  
Don’t Say A Word                          David DeMarie Dance                                                Clarence, NY  
Broken                                            Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can
Scrap Tap                                       For Dancers Only                                                       Little Falls, NJ  
Dark Road                                      Greta Leeming Studio of Dance                                  Ottawa, ONT, Can
Harder to Breathe                          Happiness Is…Dancing                                              Sudbury, ONT, Can

13 & Over Small Group Winners 2013
1st Place – It Leaves A Space Vlad’s Dance Company
2nd Place - Don’t Say A Word David DeMarie Dance
3rd Place - Scrap Tap            For Dancers Only

13 & Over Large Group Nominees 2013
Psychedelic Blank Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can  
Illuminescence Greta Leeming Studio of Dance                                  Ottawa, ONT, Can  
Ghosts That We Knew Lisa Naves Dance Company                                      Simcoe, Can  
The College Years Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can  
Menagerie Pique Dance Studio                                                     Manotick, ONT, Can  
The Power of Love Happiness Is…Dancing                                              Sudbury, ONT, Can
Ain’t No Sunshine Leeming Danceworks                                                  Ottawa, ONT, Can

13 & Over Large Group Winners 2013
1st Place – Psychedelic Blank Vlad’s Dance Company
2nd Place - Ain’t No Sunshine Leeming Danceworks  
3rd Place - Ghosts That We Knew Lisa Naves Dance Company  

13 & Over Class Nominees 2013
Chrysalis David DeMarie Dance                                                Clarence, NY
Paparazzi For Dancers Only                                                       Little Falls, NJ  
There Will Be New Roses Studio de danse Danielle                                             Gatineau, Can
Wake Up From You David DeMarie Dance                                                Clarence, NY  
At Sea For Dancers Only                                                       Little Falls, NJ  
Every Heart Shannon O’Brien School of Dance                             Seekonk, MA

13 & Over Class Winners 2013
1st Place – Wake Up From You David DeMarie Dance
2nd Place - Paparazzi For Dancers Only
3rd Place - At Sea For Dancers Only  

13 & Over Extended Nominees 2013
Man vs Nature Greta Leeming Studio of Dance                                  Ottawa, ONT, Can
The Garden Canadian School of Dance                                          Nepean, ONT, Can  
The Final Walk Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can
Fascinatin’ Rhythm David DeMarie Dance                                                Clarence, NY  
Wild Horse Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can  


13 & Over Extended Winners 2013
1st Place – The Final Walk Vlad’s Dance Company
2nd Place - The Purse Pursuit Chad Wolfe Studio  
3rd Place - Wild Horse Vlad’s Dance Company

13 & Over ProductionNominees 2013
Checkmate         Vlad’s Dance Company                                              Richmond Hill, ONT, Can
Come Sail Away Shannon O’Brien School of Dance                             Seekonk, MA  
Mary Poppins      Lisa Pilato Dance Center                                            Dracut, MA

13 & Over Production Winners 2013
1st Place – Come Sail Away Shannon O’Brien School of Dance
2nd Place - Checkmate          Vlad’s Dance Company  
3rd Place - Mary Poppins      Lisa Pilato Dance Center

Craig North Memorial Young Choreographer of the Year Nominees 2013

Seven Deadly Sins – Dina Crupi For Dancers Only
Forgiveness – Emma Portner Leeming Daneworks

Craig North Memorial Young Choreographer of the YearWinner 2013

Forgiveness     Emma Portner      Leeming DanceworksOttawa, ONT, Can

13 & Over America’s Choreographer of the Year Nominees 2013

Ghosts                                                 Scott MacDonald          Lisa Naves Dance Company  
The Final Walk                                     Vlad                              Vlad’s Dance Company  
The Sunken Shoes                              Linda Garneau             Leeming Danceworks  
Ain’t No Sunshine                               Eryn Waltman              Leeming Danceworks  
Scrap Tap                                             Mike Minery                 For Dancers Only  
Checkmate                                           Vlad                              Vlad’s Dance Company
The Purse Pursuit                                Chad Wolfe                 Chad Wolfe Studio                                                       
The Greatest Bond                               Vlad                             Vlad’s Dance Company  
Wild Horse                                             Linda Garneau           Vlad’s Dance Company                                             
Man vs Nature                                       Vlad                            Greta Leeming Studio of Dance  
If                                                             Maeghan McHale        Mid Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts  
Come Sail Away                                   Shannon Marshall/JulieWhite Shannon O’Brien School of Dance

13 & Over America’s Choreographer of the Year Winner 2013

The Greatest Bond      Vlad       Vlad’s Dance CompanyRichmond Hill, ONT, Can


George Lon Memorial Award Winners 2013
1st Place – The Greatest Bond Vlad’s Dance Company                                      Richmond Hill, ONT, Can
2nd Place – Into the Light In Motion Dance Project                                             Orlando, FL
3rd Place – Seven Deadly Sins For Dancers Only                                                Little Falls, NJ          
4th Place – The Sunken Shoes Leeming Danceworks                                         Ottawa, ONT, Can
5th Place – Forgiveness Leeming Danceworks                                                    Ottawa, ONT, Can
6th Place – Swan Lake Vlad’s Dance Company                                                    Richmond Hill, ONT, Can