The following articles and pictures are from The Leader Vindicator, October 22. It was written by Kenn Staub, L-V Correspondent.
“I was really excited that I got a top 10 because it’s a very big thing,” remarked Anistyn, a student at Union High School. “There were 20 contestants and I got a top 10 out of those. I was very happy representing the Pennsylvania chapter at Dance Masters of America, my home studio [Dancer’s Studio in Clarion], and the community that really pulled through for me.”
At the Junior Miss Dance competition, Anistyn was required to demonstrate her abilities in four styles — ballet, tap, jazz and acrobatics.
Explained Dancer’s Studio owner and director A-Jo Gallagher, Anistyn’s mother, “Jazz is a more upbeat, faster genre; it incorporates a lot of leaps, turns and stylistic elements. Acro [acrobatics] is all tumbling, aerials, flips; it’s also based on strength, flexibility. You have to be strong for acro.”
A-Jo continued, “She is super strong in all the genres, but her best style is contemporary, which is not one of the audition [competition] classes, but it’s a style we offer here [at Dancer’s Studio]. We need to give credit to Kelly Peterson and Shannon Scott [who teach acrobatics and ballet, respectively, at Dancer’s Studio].”
Of the four audition styles, Anistyn’s favorite is jazz, while she is somewhat lukewarm when it comes to tap.
“In jazz you can show your personality,” she said. “It has a lot of energy and you can have a lot of fun in that genre.”
“Tap is not my favorite, it comes hard for me. I get all the easy and medium stuff, but the more advanced steps are what’s hard. You should do tap because you can learn musicality. It’s good for you, it’s just not my favorite.”
Though Anistyn will relinquish her state junior title in a few weeks, being unable to compete due to having already won once, she isn’t slowing down.
Just this past weekend (Oct. 16-18) she was in Mobile, Ala. serving as a Pro Reveler, an advanced dancer selected to assist Revel Dance Convention faculty.
“Dancers audition at a city and they pick 200 of the best dancers [Pro Revelers] to assist with classes and represent [Revel Dance Convention],” A-Jo contributed. “They perform in the closing show at the end of the weekend’s showcase, as well as assist the faculty in classes throughout the weekend’s convention.”
“They [Pro Revelers] had to attend an orientation in August in Tampa and have a minimum of five cities they have to attend. In addition to Mobile, she chose Pittsburgh, her home city, Boston, Charlotte, and Rochester [New York].”
Additionally, Anistyn will be traveling as an ambassador with the GuiDANCE experience, with A-Jo noting, “With this dance company she travels to Texas for orientation and this requires [travel to] three cities. She assists faculty during classes, works backstage during the competitions, helps at the merch tables. She has seminars during the year via Zoom.
“This is a YPAD-based company [Youth Protection Association in Dance]; their values are a family-friendly environment, age-appropriate standards, inclusivity, a body-positive culture, and supportive community.”
Anistyn will also compete six times with her Dancer’s Studio team during the next year.
As to the future, Anistyn would like to dance professionally and eventually take over her mother’s studio. Further, she wants to hold each age-group championship awarded by Dance Masters of Pennsylvania, someday earning a Dance of America title.
“She was already Miss Petite Dance Pennsylvania [ages 7-9] and now she’s Miss Junior Dance Pennsylvania [ages 10-12],” said A-Jo. “Her goals are to be Teen [ages 13-15] and the Miss [ages 16-18], win all four and represent Dance Masters of Pennsylvania [at national competitions].”
More than simply earning accolades, Anistyn has acquired life skills through dance which have had multiple benefits, using them to achieve such things as becoming a straight A student.
“She said, ‘I learn more on the Marley than I do at a desk,’” reported A-Jo, referencing the vinyl flooring used in dance studios and on performance stages. “She’s learned about being humble, determination, perseverance, a work ethic — it’s shaped her.”
As for Anistyn, it’s all about dancing.
“‘What I like about dance?’ Everything honestly,” she observed. “I love meeting new friends, getting to hang out with friends. I like cheering for others and supporting others. Traveling is one of my favorites.”
“I just love dancing; I like being in the studio learning new things.”
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