Dancers from the New England Dance and Gymnastics Studio in Westfield pose for a group shot following a performance of “Miss Saigon.”
(Front row, left to right: Katelyn Andrade, Lauren Hartman, Marile Marzo)
(Back row, left to right: Jade Cloud, Megan Laakso, Savannah Petrunti)
LANCASTER, Penn. – Fans of the Lifetime Television reality series “Dance Moms” will now be able to watch the show’s upcoming third season with special satisfaction, as a local dance studio recently went toe to toe with the famed Abby Lee studios of Pittsburgh, the focus of the popular TV series.
In late June, the New England Dance and Gymnastics Center of Westfield sent six of their best and brightest stars to western Pennsylvania.
Loree Cloud, owner of New England Dance and Gymnastics Centers in Westfield and Granby, Conn., was excited with the performance of her girls.
“We traveled with a group of six girls, and they were judged on technique, level and stage presence,” said Cloud, whose daughter Jade, 14, competed and won the duo routine with partner Lauren Hartman, as well as the competition’s solo performance. “We finished ahead of Candy Apple and behind Abby Lee in the group routine.”
Candy Apple, a Canton, Ohio based studio, was featured in several episodes during the first season of “Dance Moms”.
Cloud was impressed with the efforts of Hartman, Megan Laakso, Katelyn Andrade, Savanah Petrunti, and Marile Marzo, while her daughter Jade stood out once again, something she has made a habit of doing for the past seven years or so, as she has been a dominant fixture on the national stage, according to her mom.
“It gets harder and harder as you get older” the elder Cloud said, referencing the technical skill of the competition. “Teens are dancing a lot more than (kids), and the teens who are serious are dancing all the time. (Jade) is doing that, too. She wants this as a career.”
Lauren Hartman (left) and Jade Cloud strike a pose during the number “Come to Me” from “Les Miserable.”
Jade Cloud has caught the eye of casting directors and major dance outlets in the country, which led to her studio’s invitation to the exclusive event in Lancaster.
After being homeschooled for the last few years, Jade Cloud is set to attend Westfield High School this fall, and her mother believes the school’s administration will be supportive of the dance lifestyle, which can occasionally clash with studying.
“I’ve spoken with school administrators,” Loree Cloud said. “And if she has a commercial shoot in New York for a few days, I think the school will be accommodating. She is already kind of a professional.”
As for the rest of the New England Dance and Gymnastics Center team, they are preparing with giddy anticipation for the upcoming season, which is set to begin in December and will run until July.
“We’ve getting ready for the new season perfecting new routines,” Cloud said.
