LOUISVILLEREGIONAL February19Ǧ21,2021 KentuckyInternationalConventionCenter TalentOnParadeisownedandmanagedbyKimberlyandEricMcCluer YourhardworkingTOPstaffforthisshowalsoincludes CarlaBarkley,KelceeBauert,MattBrekke,AllisonConnely,KaleyEsbeck,DrewFelts, AudraKey,AnthonyLofendo,DebraMasur,KyleMcCluerandEvaSeavers TalentOnParade,LLC AlivePhotoandVideo,LLC (316)522Ͳ4836 (314)472Ͳ5027 talentonparade.com alivephotovideo.com WELCOMETOTOP2021 Weareveryexcitedtowelcomeyoutothis2021regionalcompetition.Thisisour24thseasonand,despitethe extremechallengesofrecentevents,wearethrilledtobebackwithyou.Thefollowingarethe“TOP10” pointstokeepinmindforafun,fairandsafeeventforeveryone. 1. Dancecompetitionbyitsverynatureisasubjectiveevent,meaningitissubjecttoawidevarietyofopinions. Theoutcomeisalsosubjecttoavarietyofchangingcircumstancesthroughoutanygivendaythatyoulikelyhavenocontrol over.It’sjustadancecompetition.Pleaseacceptitforwhatitis.Especiallythisseason.Breathe,relax,havefunandenjoy thischancetodanceregardlessoftheoutcome.Thepastyearhascertainlytaughtusthatyouneverknowwhenyouwillbe allowedtotakethestageagaininthefuture. 2. Videorecordingandphotography(flashornoflash)willbestrictlyprohibitedbyaudiencemembers,except duringawardspresentations.Thisisaverycommonpracticeintheentertainmentindustry,andwithgoodreason. Studiodirectors,teachersandotherparentstendtogetverygrouchywhenchoreographyand/orcostumingarecopied withoutapproval.Moreimportantly,we’retryingtoprotecttheprivacyandsafetyofthekids.Thefactistherearepeople outthereofaveryquestionablenaturewhomaytrytousephotographicimagesinappropriately(gross!). 3. Donotleavepersonalitemsunattended.Again,thesadfactisthattherearethoseamonguswhowillthinknothingof takingstuffthatdoesn’tbelongtothemifgiventheopportunity.TOPcannotberesponsibleforlost,broken,misplacedor stolenitemsofanykind. 4. Pleasebeconsiderateofoneanotherinthedressingareas.Especiallyunderthecurrentcircumstances.Werequest thatyoulimityourtimeinthedressingareastoo.Getin,doyourbusiness,thengetout.Also,ifdressingassistanceis necessary,pleaselimittooneadulthelperperdancer.Youmightalsoconsiderarrivingatthevenueinyourfirstcostumeof thedayandleavingwhileinyourlastcostume.Remembertoalsopracticesocialdistancingasmuchaspossibleinthe dressingareas,(andinallotherareasofthevenuetoo). 5. Masksandsocialdistancingmayberequired.Wewillfollowandenforcethemandatesrequiredbytheappropriate authoritiesforthecity/state/venuewearein.Specificinformationforeachshowwillbepostedattalentonparade.comand includedwithinformationprovidedtothestudiodirector.Pleasebecompliantandrespectfulinfollowinganysuch mandatesastheyareputinplaceforyoursafetyandforthesafetyofthosearoundyou.Also,donotmoveseatinginto largergroupsthanwhatispreͲsetfortheday.Thesavingofseatsmayalsoberestrictedduetoareductioninseating requiredforsocialdistancingpurposes.Withlimitedseatingavailable,wealsoaskthatextendedfamilymembers,nonͲ dancingfriends,etc.watchtheshowfromhomeontheliveͲstreamfeed(whereavailable). 6. Dancersshouldremainintheaudienceforawards.Wewillnotbringdancerstothestageasagroupthisseasonfor awardsexceptforselectedTOP10lineups.Instead,wewillbeaskingyoutochooseonerepresentativeforeachacttopick upwhencalledbackstage.Specificdirectionsforeachawardsceremonywillbeannouncedfromthestage. 7. Assignedperformancetimesaretobeconsideredapproximateonly.Flexibilityiskeytokeepingtheshowmoving. Pleasebeready,andwilling,toperformearlierorlaterthanscheduled.Also,beawarethatthetimingofawards ceremoniesorothereventsmayfluctuatewiththescheduleduringthecourseoftheday.Weencourageyoutomonitor theprogressoftheshowontheDanceEventsapp.AskastafferattheTOPShopmerchandiseareaformoreinformation abouttheappifneeded. 8. Pleaselimityourmovingaroundintheaudienceduringstageperformances.Whenyoustand,orwalkdownan aisleduringaperformanceyou’reblockingsomeoneelse’sview.Weunderstandthatit’snotalwayspossible,butpleasetry totimemovingaroundtoagapbetweenacts. 9. Smokingofanykindisprohibitedinthevenue.Thisincludesanykindofelectronicand/orvapordevices. 10. Gunsareprohibitedinthevenueandonthevenuegrounds.Thisincludesconcealedcarry. PARTICIPATINGSTUDIOS A That's Dancing - Louisville, Kentucky B Dance Haven Studios - Tell City, Indiana C Showtyme Dance - Lebanon, Tennessee D Laura's School of Dance - Richmond, Kentucky E Lancaster Dance Center - Lancaster, Kentucky F Independent, Arnold - South Bend, Indiana G Stellar Dance Center - Madisonville, Kentucky H Nu Revolution Dance Studio - Richmond, Kentucky J Midwest Elite Dance Center - Amelia, Ohio K Dance Unlimited - Kentucky - Mount Washington, Kentucky L Sloan's Dance Studio - West Frankfort, Illinois M Stacy's Studio Of Dance - Petersburg, Indiana N Tippy Toes - Indianapolis, Indiana O Dance Magic Performing Arts Center - Noblesville, Indiana TOP“POP” akaProgramsOnPause Althoughwearethrilledtohavereturnedtohostingcompetitions,we’realsosad thatsomeofwhatmakesTOPspecialisstillonpauseduetotheCovidpandemic. Thefollowingprogramsare“waitinginthewings”andwillmakeareappearance assoonasitissafetobringthemback. TOPSTARZ TOPStarzisourinvitationͲonlyprogramthatbringstogetherselecteddancersfromour regionalcompetitionstoparticipateinspecialproductionperformancesatoursummer NationalFinals.WehavepausedthisprogramuntilCovidrestrictionsgenerallyhavebeen relaxedenoughtoallowforlargegatheringsofdancersfromdifferentstudiostorehearseand performtogetherincloseproximitysafely.Ifatanytimeduringthecourseofthisseasonwe becomeconfidentinaliftingofrestrictionsforthesummer,wewillestablishanopen enrollmentforthosewhoareinterested.Regardlessofwhetherthathappensthisseasonor not,wehopetobringbackTOPStarzinitsoriginalformforthe2022season. TOPCHARITYDANCEDOWN OurCharityDanceDowneventhasmadeitpossible(withyourgeneroushelp)forusto donatemorethan$100,000overtheyearstosomeveryworthcauses.Thisisatoughoneto putonpausesinceweknowthesenonͲprofitsdesperatelyneedourhelp,nowmorethan ever.Wehavenochoicehoweveruntilweareclearedtobringtogetheralargegroupof dancersfromdifferentstudiostothestageagain.Whenthathappens,wewillbringitback.In themeantime,youcanmakeindividualdonationsdirectlytoourfavoritecharities,Drea’s DreamandTheTruth365,viatheirwebsitesifyouwouldliketo.Drea’sDreamisadance therapy/expressivemovementprogramforchildrenwithcancerandspecialneeds (dreasdream.org).TheTruth365isanationalchildhoodcancercampaignwhoseNational SpokespersonisTOPDancerGabiShull(thetruth365.org). COLLEGEBOUNDDANCEFAIR ThisprogramispartoftheTOPmissiontoassistdancersinmovingbeyondthecompetition stageandintoposthighschooldanceprograms.It’saneventwhereawidevarietyof colleges,universities,andpreparatorydanceprogramsarerepresented.Thousandsofdollars inscholarshipsarealsotypicallyawardedonthespotaswell.Wenormallyhostthisevent everyotheryearand2021wassupposedtobean“on”year,butCOVIDrestrictionsledtoits cancellation.Watchforannouncementsattalentonparade.comaboutwhenCollegeBound willreturninthefuture. LOUISVILLEREGIONALJUDGES GEENAPILCHERDesMoines,Iowa Geenafirstfoundherlovefordanceattheageofthree.Alongsideherdancetraining,Geenaalsotrainedas anartisticgymnast.ShewascoachedbytherenownedOlympicTrainingCoach,LiangChow,sincetheageof six.GeenawasapartofaneliteOlympictrainingteamatChow’sgymnasticsalongsidegymnast,Shawn Johnson.Geena’sextensiveknowledgeingymnasticsandacrobaticsarehighlysoughtoutbymanystudios acrossthenationandkeepherbusytravelingmostoftheseason.Whileextensivelytraininginballetand acrobatics,Geenaisalsotrainedinlyrical,contemporary,tap,jazz,andmusicaltheatre.Geenahasperformed inmanyleadrolesinballetssuchasTheNutcracker,PeterPan,andCinderellatonameafew.Inadditionto performinginballets,sheachievednumeroustitlesregionallyandnationally.Geenahasalsoperformedin commercials,promotionalvideos,andmodeledfornumerousprojects.Shecurrentlydirectsand choreographsavarietyofshowsforIowaDanceTheatre.Inherfreetime,Geenaenjoystravelingtohost masterclassesandcontractworkforchoreographyͲearninghermultipleachievementsthroughoutthe years.Geenaisexcitedtobehereandlooksforwardtowatchingallthewonderfultalenttakethestagethis weekend! KYLEPLUNKETTWhiteHall,Arkansas KylePlunkettisanativeofWhiteHall,ArkansaswhereheistheCoͲOwner/DirectorofPowerhouseDance& Tumbling.Kylebegandancingattheageof4wherehisloveoftapdancingdefeatedanyoftheother activitieshewasinvolvedinaschild.Whileworkingmostlyintap,hispassionforcontemporaryandjazz enricheshisuniqueapproachtostorytelling.Inadditiontoperforminglocallyforvariouseventsandshows, hehasachievednumerousregionalandnationaltitleswithhischoreographyincitiessuchasLasVegas,NV, PanamaCity,FL,andMyrtleBeach,SC,tonameafew.Hehasdancedintelevisioncommercialworkandhas beenpublishednumeroustimesinDanceStudioLifeMagazineforhisinsightasbothastudioownerand competitionjudge.Kyleenjoystravelingtohostmasterclassesandcontractworkforchoreography– partneringwithvariouscharitiesandschoolswhereheenjoysinspiringstudentsofallages.Currently,Kyle isafeaturedcompetitionjudgeforTalentOnParade,StarPowerNationalTalentCompetition,andDance MachineANDC.HehasbeenaMasterClassTapInstructorwithGearUpDanceConventionandheisa proudmemberoftheNationalDanceEducationOrganization(NDEO)aswellasanaffiliatememberofthe AssociationOfDanceConventionsandCompetitions(ADCC),wherehehasbeenselectedhimtoreceivethe IndustryExcellenceAwardforOutstandingJudge. NEALEY RITZELBelleville,Illinois Nealey’spassionfordancebeganattheearlyageof3.Althoughshetrainedinballet,jazz,hiphop,and contemporarywhilegrowingup,taphasalwaysheldaspecialplaceinherheart.For13years,Nealey traveledtheU.S.competingandattendingconventionswhereshewonseveralnationaltitles.Nealeyquickly becameknownforherenergeticstagepresenceandstarperformancequality.Shespenttimetouringcities