Above the Barre wins 1st place at national competition for jazz performance

SCHAUMBURG – The Gurnee Park District’s competitive dance company Above the Barre competed with great success at the Hall of Fame regional in April.

Many of the company’s members were attending nationals for the first time.

“We are proud of all the members of the Above the Barre company,” performing arts coordinator Kris Norwood said in a news release. “The support the dancers give to each other and the dedication they have to the art of dance is what makes the company so victorious.”

Attending for the second consecutive year, Above the Barre won three national championships.

Above the Barre’s Jazz group made up of Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Janae Vaughn, Courtney San Pedro, Abby Illescas and Amelia Serrano won a national championship and platinum award for their “Sisters Are Doin It For Themselves” performance.

Vaughn and Olivia Kunz won national titles and platinum awards for their solo performances. Vaughn won for “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” and Kunz won for “I Look To You.”

Vaughn’s performance recognized Above the Barre instructor Samantha Murphey, who won Best Choreography.

Platinum award winners also included Lily Burch for “Rescue,” San Pedro for “You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me,” Emma Kunz for “Hallelujah,” Mary Smith and Taylor Kuhn for an “Uptown Girls” duet and Above the Barre’s Lyrical group of Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Vaughn, San Pedro, Illescas and Serrano for “Let It All Go.” The Lyrical group also won the Intensity Award.

More than 20 dance companies competed at the Hall of Fame regional.

All Competition Results:

1st Place National Champion

- Nails Hair Hips Heels - Janae Vaughn

- I Look To You - Olivia Kunz

- Sisters Are Doin It For Themselves - Jazz Group (Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Janae Vaughn, Courtney San Pedro, Abby Illescas, Amelia Serrano)

2nd Place Overall

- Hallelujah - Emma Kunz

- Let It All Go - Lyrical Group (Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Janae Vaughn, Courtney San Pedro, Abby Illescas, Amelia Serrano)

3rd Place Overall

- Uptown Girls - Mary Smith and Taylor Kuhn

Platinum Award

- Rescue - Lily Burch

- You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me - Courtney San Pedro

- Nails Hair Hips Heels - Janae Vaughn

- I Look To You - Olivia Kunz

- Uptown Girls - Mary Smith and Taylor Kuhn

- Let It All Go - Lyrical Group (Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Janae Vaughn, Courtney San Pedro, Abby Illescas, Amelia Serrano)

- Sisters Are Doin It For Themselves - Jazz Group (Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Janae Vaughn, Courtney San Pedro, Abby Illescas, Amelia Serrano)

Intensity Award

- Let It All Go - Lyrical Group (Emma Kunz, Olivia Kunz, Janae Vaughn, Courtney San Pedro, Abby Illescas, Amelia Serrano

Best Choreography

- Nails Hair Hips Heels - Janae Vaughn