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| Miss Starpower 2009 |
| Name: |
Emily Hilton |
| Age: |
17 |
| Home: |
Southwest Ranches, FL |
| Studies: |
Favorite forms of dance are Ballet and Pointe |
| Studio: |
Dance Town |
Future
Plans: |
Emily would like to dance as long as she can and inspires people to “Never Give Up…no matter what life throws at you!” |
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STARPOWER |
For more than a decade, Leo’s Dancewear has proudly sponsored the competition that has launched hundreds of dance careers…
Starpower National Talent Competition
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| An interview with Glenn Baruck, President of Leo’s Dancewear |
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| Q: |
How did Leo’s become affiliated with the Starpower National Talent Competition? |
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A: |
I had known Gary Pate and Grace Wakefield, the creators of Starpower, for a number of years, having worked with them at several dance conventions and through our mutual friend, Gus Giordano. Grace and Gary believed that the industry needed a new and exciting competition unlike any other and we liked their approach. |
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| Q: |
Why did Leo’s want to sponsor this particular competition? |
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A: |
We felt that Starpower was a leader in the field - with the best judges and exciting new presentation ideas and competition format. They also had great relationships with many of the finest dance studios in the country. Grace and Gary were not only concerned about competition, but about dance education as well… a concern which Leo’s definitely shared. |
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| Q: |
What are some of the “success stories” that have come out of Starpower? |
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A: |
Several dancers that have competed at Starpower have gone on to have careers in entertainment. Some of the more familiar names would be: JC Chasez, of *NSYNC fame, who gave his very first performance on the Starpower stage, LeAnn Rimes, winner of 2 Grammy Awards, and Adrienne Canterna, who in 1998 became the first American gold medallist in 40 years (in the Junior Division) at the prestigious USA International Ballet Competition. |
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| Q: |
In what other ways does Leo’s support dance? |
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A: |
Since the beginning, Leo’s has believed that supporting the art form of dance is an integral part of what we do. To encourage interest in and to recognize its importance, we provide support and funding to various groups: Jazz Dance World Congress, Dance For Life and Chicago Human Rhythm Project to name a few. Our focus always remaining constant: to help further the growth of dance. |
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