TCFA Dancers Bring Home Top Honors from StarQuest Competition

The Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts (TCFA) dance program returned home

from the May 2026 StarQuest Regional Competition in Syracuse with an impressive

collection of awards, special recognitions, and a renewed sense of pride in the

dedication and growth of its young performers.

For many dancers, this year’s competition presented unique challenges. Some

performers competed against fields of more than two dozen dancers, several entered

the highly competitive Teen division for the first time, and others stepped onto a

competition stage for the very first time. Despite those hurdles, TCFA dancers delivered

standout performances across every category.

“I’m very proud of all of our dancers”, said Dance Director Samantha “Miss Sam”

Johnson. “They really committed, showed up, and showed out. I’m beaming for all of

them and how well they persevered!”

TCFA soloists earned recognition throughout the weekend. Ruby Feenan received a

Platinum Plus award, second overall placement, and Top Score in the Contemporary

category. Makenzie White earned a Platinum Plus award, third overall placement, and

was named Senior Titlist Winner. Zafira Ferrari received a Platinum Plus award, second

overall placement, along with a special award for “Phenomenal Focus”. Kimberly Fang

and Raelynn Hyer both earned Platinum honors and placed among the competition’s

top overall soloists.

The studio’s group performances were equally impressive. The Elite Team’s

contemporary routine “Paint It Black” captured a Platinum Plus award, first overall

placement, a Costume Award, the Odyssey Award, and Top Score in the Contemporary

category. The Elite Team’s jazz performance earned Platinum Plus recognition and third

overall placement.

One of the weekend’s highlights came from TCFA’s musical theatre production of

“Mama I’m a Big Girl”, featuring dancers from the Junior I, Junior II, and Elite teams.

The routine earned first overall placement, Top Score in the Musical Theatre category,

and a special judges’ award for “Super Staging”.

Additional honors included a fifth overall placement for the Junior II contemporary team

and strong performances from the Junior I and Junior II dancers throughout the

weekend.

Perhaps most notably, TCFA was awarded the competition"‘s Studio Award for “Well

Rounded in Multiple Genres” recognizing excellence across a diverse range of dance

styles.

While trophies and rankings marked a successful weekend, the competition also

showcased the hard work, resilience, and artistic growth of TCFA"‘s dancers. From first-

time competitors to veteran performers, each dancer contributed to a memorable

weekend that reflected the spirit and strength of the Trumansburg dance community.