TCFA Receives Awards & Honors at East Coast Elite’s Regional Dance Challenge

Fourteen dancers from the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts (TCFA) traveled to Elmira in March to compete at the 2026 East Coast Elite Dance Challenge, earning numerous awards, overall placements, and special recognitions while showcasing their talent across contemporary, jazz, and solo performance categories.

Representing TCFA were dancers ages 10 to 16 on three competition teams. The Elite Team included Abby Arco, Alanah Elmore, Ruby Feenan, Raelynn Hyer, Emma Vann, and Makenzie White. The Junior II Team featured Julie Day, Jania Fang, Kestrel

Graham-Lavine, Lulu Karr, Violet Kraus, and Jane Warner, while Kimberly Fang and Addilynn Hooker represented the Junior I Team.

The Elite Team competed in the Challenger Teen Star Division with two small-group routines choreographed by Ravyn Schriewer. Their contemporary piece, Paint It Black, earned a Platinum rating, fourth overall placement, a Judges Award for “Intention & Intensity,” and a Stand-Out Star Award for “The Perfect Precision”. The team’s jazz number, Siren Sounds, also received a Platinum rating and placed third overall.

The Junior II Team competed in the Challenger Junior Star Division with the contemporary piece The Seed, choreographed by Samantha Johnson. The performance earned a High Gold rating, third overall placement, and a Stand-Out Star Award for “Creative Choreography”.

TCFA dancers also delivered impressive solo performances throughout the weekend. Makenzie White earned one of the competition's highest honors, receiving an Empire Elite Platinum rating, second overall placement, a Spotlight Star Award, and the High Challenger Title Winner First Place distinction. Ruby Feenan was awarded Platinum, second overall, and second overall in the Student Choreography category.

Several dancers earned special recognition awards from the judges. Raelynn Hyer received a Stand-Out Star Award for Shining Star while Jania Fang earned a Stand-Out Star Award for Super Solo, the Premiere Star Award, and a Judge’s Award for Fluid Future. Kestrel Graham-Lavine received a “Spotlight Star” Award in addition to placing fifth overall in Student Choreography, highlighting both her performance quality and emerging creative voice.

Additional top placements were earned by Lulu Karr, who placed second overall; Kimberly Fang, who finished fifth overall; Addilynn Hooker, who placed fourth overall and seventh overall in Student Choreography; and Emma Vann, who earned seventh overall and fourth overall in Student Choreography. Violet Kraus also received recognition with a sixth-place overall finish in the Student Choreography category.