Champion and his crown: Twelve-year-old Josh Parker sat out last year’s Follow your Dreams event, but proved his talent by dominatiing the national competition in a variety of categories.
Dillmac Entertainment has again shone beneath the national spotlight, returning from the Follow your Dreams dance and vocal competition with a swag of national titles.
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The contest is an international event (Australia, New Zealand and the UK) that has a 15-year history, run as a family owned business by founder and director Kylie Drew.
Dillmac Entertainment, a dance, performing arts ,vocal and music school with studios in Kyabram and Echuca, has been attending Follow your Dreams regional events for the past five years and competing at national level for four years.
This year a team of 15 Dillmac dancers and vocalists (two team members doing both) visited Adelaide for the nationals.
From January 12 through to January 16 Dillmac students were among thousands of contestants and by Friday evening Dillmac had its first national champion in up-and-coming vocalist Josh Parker.
Last year COVID-19 stoped Josh and his family travelling to Adelaide, but this year the 12-year-old competed in the 13 and under age category and came out with a clean sweep of first placings in Musical Theatre, Disney, Pop, Ballad and, in the last category of the day, Champion Singer.
Archie Turnbull, who competed as a vocal soloist in the 10 and under section, placed first in their duo and Josh also won the “Heading to Broadway” award.
Indi Gilmore was 14 years and under Vocal Champion in 2021 and therefore was unable to compete for the title in 2022. She returned this year in the 16 and under age group and took home first for 16 and Under Ballad, along with the Disney first prize and an honourable mention in Music Theatre.
She was also runner-up in 16 and under Champion Singer.
The vocal team was made up of Josh, Indi, Rose Grills, Amy Caldwell, Kinsey Graham, Archie Turnbull, Lila Mislicki and Emily Parker. All vocalists placed first, second or third in one or more of their categories with Josh, Indi, Archie, Lila and Emily all taking home national champion titles.
National champions: Dillmac’s dance troupe was again recognised in several categories for its outstanding performances at the Follow your Dreams event.
The dance team was also successful in its endeavours to take home national titles. The dance team was this year made up of Matilda Leersen, Imogen Leersen, Lulu Oman, Mikala Brown, Rose Grills, Indi Gilmore, Indra Hubble and Claudia Moon.
In many instances the solo dancers were among up to 30 other competitors in multiple sections. The competition was tough, but they brought home multiple honourable mentions.
The senior dance troupe had another successful year at Nationals in the 16 and under small troupe section. They were Broadway National Champions, Jazz National Champions, Lyrical National Champions, Open Genre National Champions, Contemporary National Champions, Hip Hop National Champions and Tap runner-up National Champions
Local dancers from idance and Suzanne’s school of ballet also had solo dancers competing and the powerhouse team from pulsate dance force Wangaratta this year took out the title of best performing troupe.
Their senior large Troupe Broadway performance was captivating fun and well choreographed by owner and director Sam Pulvirenti.
Liz Dillon, part owner and director of Dillmac, is the vocal coach of all competition vocalists and Millie Dillon McKenzie choreographs all solo duo and troupes for the dance team except for tap routines. Tap was last year led by Maddie Watson.
Back on top: After a year out of the Follow your Dreams spolight, Indi Gilmore returned to win awards in the 16 and Under category.
The two teams are already in preparation for the next year of competing with Millie coming home to choreograph more than 40 new solos in 10 days to be ready for FYD Echuca Regionals in April.
This year teams will be looking for sponsors, so they can again return to nationals.
The ongoing costs of the competition and travel has prevented many team members and tutors from attending — and like other dance schools at national level, Dillmac has a goal to give that same opportunity to everyone.
They will be fundraising and looking out for potential sponsors.
If you are keen to support Team Dillmac for its 2023 national endeavour, message Liz on Facebook page Dillmac Entertainment or drop her an email at lizdillon@dillmac.com
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