News

The first annual Grand Jeté student dance competition, hosted by the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, featured 47 dancers, ages 10-19, from eight dance schools across the state, including one independent dancer. Participants competed by division for cash prizes, which included $1,500 for First Place, $1000 for Second Place, $500 for Third Place, and $100 gift certificates for The Sock Basket for Honorable Mention.

First Place –

• Senior Ballet Division
  Rimi Mizuoka, International Ballet Academy
   
• Senior Contemporary/Modern Division
  Niko Heers, SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities
   
• Junior Ballet Division
  Gabrielle Gardner, SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities

Second Place –

• Senior Ballet Division
  Gabrielle Brown, International Ballet Academy
   
• Senior Contemporary/Modern Division
  Olivia Mozie, SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities
   
• Junior Ballet Division
  Virginia Welsh, Columbia Conservatory of Dance, Inc.

Third Place –

• Senior Ballet Division
  Isabelle Snelling, SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities
   
• Senior Contemporary/Modern Division
  Hallie Walter, SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities
   
• Junior Ballet Division
  Anna Ohi, International Ballet Academy

Honorable Mention –

• Senior Ballet Division
  McKaela Rowland, International Ballet Academy
   
• Junior Ballet Division
  Brittan Gross, Columbia Conservatory of Dance, Inc.

Rimi Mizuoka, from the International Ballet Academy, also received a $500 tuition scholarship for the 2019 South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory in Columbia, South Carolina, for having the highest score.

“Congratulations to the winners and to all of the competitors who danced beautifully and represented our state so well,” said Josée Garant, Grand Jeté executive director. “We created this event to provide an opportunity for dance professionals to get to know each other, and where our students can meet new friends, share a common passion, learn to strive in a competitive environment, support each other, be inspired, learn, and grow.”

Grand Jeté was adjudicated by out-of-state, world-renowned dance professionals Lorna Feijóo, Francie Huber, and Olivier Pardina, who addressed the attendees during the closing ceremony.

“There was a terrific amount of talent and the day was just flawless,” said Huber “We were so impressed to see the talent from South Carolina. It was just beautiful.”

“In ballet, Grand Jeté means big leap forward, and I believe that is truly what this competition represents,” said Pardina.

Feijóo took the opportunity to acknowledge the dance teachers. “All of the dancers worked so hard and if it weren’t for their incredible teachers, they wouldn’t be here.”

Grand Jeté was sponsored by Drayton Mills, Spinx, and The Sock Basket. For more information about Grand Jeté, visit www.scgsah.org/grand-jete.