The Fox Valley Park District’s A-Factor Dance Company – the competitive arm of Fox Valley Dance Academy – recently collected top honors at a high-profile regional competition.

Held March 29 at the Midwest Conference Center in Northlake, the Turn It Up Dance Challenge featured 11 studios with FVPD’s 28-member A-Factor team being named the competition’s “Standout Studio.” The Standout award is presented to the studio that shows overall excellence in the areas of technique, execution, and stage presence, says Vantenia Kelley, A-Factor’s artistic director and dance instructor.

“When they called our name, everyone was cheering, the girls were screaming and they let the whole studio come up to accept the award,” Kelley says. “Honestly, I was crying. It was like, ‘Wow, all of our hard work and dedication is being recognized.’ Everyone was overwhelmed with happiness and joy.”

In total at Turn It Up, A-Factor dancers earned 11 high platinum plaque awards, 14 platinum plaque awards, and three most entertaining star awards, which go to routines judges deem as “an exciting and high-energy piece.” All A-Factor group dances placed in Top 3, while all A-Factor soloists placed Top 6.

A-Factor performs in three to four competitions per season (August to May), along with outreach performances for preschool classes, and at area senior living communities and public library branches.

Interested in Dance?

Fox Valley Dance Academy features classes and programming all summer long for youth and adults of all experience and skill levels. Browse our newly-posted Summer Adventure Playbook before registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 26.

Summer Dance Concert

Auditions for Neverland – the Fox Valley Dance Academy’s Summer Dance Concert – will be held on May 19 at Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora, at the following times:

  • Ages 5-6: 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
  • Ages 7-18: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We try to build well-rounded students and dance is just an avenue for that,” Kelley says. “We’re not just building them up to be amazing dancers, but to be amazing human beings.  We want them to take the skills they learn through dance such as perseverance, building confidence, communicating with others, and growing skills to other parts of their lives and into adulthood.”