Best Modern Choreography
About the Superlative Awards
The Year in Review 2008 Superlative contest on DancerUniverse.com got the online dance community buzzing with interest and anticipation. Dance studios from all over the country logged in and uploaded a total of 189 numbers. Then, they sat back and waited anxiously while thousands of readers like you voted for their favorites.
Numbers eligible for the Superlative contest contained anywhere from four to 40 dancers and covered a range of disciplines, from ballet to hip-hop and even a special Teacher of the Year contest to honor those hardworking and dedicated instructors. In addition, there are two winners of the special Editor’s Choice Award, chosen by members of the Dancer Publishing team. These videos did not receive top scores, but they were so exceptional in style, choreography and execution that we had to spotlight them.
Talent, creativity and true artistry abound, the Superlative contest gave studios the opportunity to display their work and readers the chance to express their opinions. The contest wrapped up on December 22nd, at which point we tallied the scores and determined the winners.
In the following you’ll find biographical information about each studio as well as the back-story behind each dance. Look out for the fun facts accompanying every article—they’ll give you a greater sense of just how much work went into creating these award-winning routines. We know you’re itching to see who won, so without further ado, here are the 2008 Superlative winners!
Best Modern Choreography
Spotlight Dance Works – “Title and Registration”
Chesterfield, MI
Spotlightdanceworks.net
Liz Schmidt based the choreography for this piece on the emotions of loss, regret and the pain of realizing only too late what one had. This routine, named “Title and Registration,” is impressive for its perfect timing, transitions, coordination and partner work. The greatest obstacle to overcome in the perfection of this dance was the timing. If even one dancer was late or early on a count, the partner for that portion of the dance would miss the cue. As the first time this group of dancers had performed together on stage, the emotional connection they portrayed to the audience was incredibly tangible.
Fun Fact: “Title and Registration” took months of weekly 30-minute rehearsals and “many many extra Sunday practices.”