Dancers from the Newmarket studio iDance are coming home with some new hardware after winning gold medals at the world championships.
Five dancers — Abby Bendelac, Maya Bendelac, Ava Rose Dimma, Tori Muxlow, and Kaylee Welsh — from the studio went to the IDO-Dance World Championships from Nov. 28 to Dec. It was originally going to take place in Egypt but ended up being held in Slovenia.
One of the iDance owners Rhonda Dimma accompanied the team on the trip and said it was an incredible experience all around.
"It was interesting seeing all the different countries' styles of dance and training," she said.
Tori Muxlow competed on the adult ballet team which came in first place, while the others were on the junior jazz and ballet teams which won first place for ballet formations and jazz formations.
"The first time our girls won the first gold medal was a moment we will never forget. So much excitement and pride for the entire team and country," Dimma said. "It made all the long and hard rehearsals getting to that point worthwhile."
The dancers auditioned for Team Canada in the spring and began rehearsing with them in July.
On top of the group numbers, Kaylee Welsh also competed in jazz solo, coming in 11th. Muxlow also danced in modern and contemporary solo, coming 26th and as part of a modern and contemporary duo, coming in 18th.
All five have returned home to Newmarket as world champions, something Dimma said they are all super proud of.
Team Canada placed in the following ballet categories:
- Ballet - Duos - Children: Second
- Ballet - Duos - Adult: Second
- Ballet - Groups - Children: Second
- Ballet - Groups - Juniors: First
- Ballet - Groups - Adults: First
- Ballet - Formations - Children: First
- Ballet - Formations - Juniors: First
- Ballet Repertoire - Solo Female - Children: 13th, 14th
- Ballet Repertoire - Solo Female - Junior 2: First
- Ballet Open Classical - Solo Female - Children: Seventh, Ninth, 11th, 14th, 16th
- Ballet Open Classical - Solo Female - Junior 1: Third, 11th
- Ballet Open Classical - Solo Female - Junior 2: Third, fourth
- Ballet Open Classical - Solo Female - Adults: Fourth
Team Canada placed in the following jazz categories:
- Jazz - Solo Female - Children: 12th
- Jazz - Solo Female - Junior 1: 11th (Kaylee Welsh)
- Jazz - Solo Female - Junior 2: 10th, 21st
- Jazz - Solo Female - Adults: 22nd, 29th
- Jazz - Solo Male - Adults: Fourth
- Jazz - Duos - Junior 2: 13th
- Jazz - Duos - Adults: Eighth
- Jazz - Groups - Children: Sixth
- Jazz - Groups - Juniors: Eighth
- Jazz - Groups - Adults: Ninth
- Jazz - Formations - Children: Fourth
- Jazz - Formations - Juniors: First
- Jazz - Formations - Adults: Seventh
Team Canada placed in the following modern and contemporary categories:
- Modern & Contemporary - Solo Female - Children: 21st, 33rd
- Modern & Contemporary - Solo Female - Junior 2: Fifth, 29th
- Modern & Contemporary - Solo Female - Adults: 26th (Tori Muxlow), 33rd
- Modern & Contemporary - Solo Male - Adults: 10th
- Modern & Contemporary - Duos - Adults: 18th (Tori Muxlow)
- Modern & Contemporary - Groups - Children: 10th
- Modern & Contemporary - Groups - Juniors: 19th
- Modern & Contemporary - Groups - Adults: 22nd
- Modern & Contemporary - Formations - Juniors: Fourth
- Modern & Contemporary - Formations - Adults: 14th
