C.O.D.E. Company Makes the Local Newspaper!

The Cheryl O'Hara Dance Elite (C.O.D.E.) company team.

Cheryl O'Hara Dance Elite competitive dance team made it in the Mt. Airy Messenger this past Wednesday for their First Place, Platinum winning tribute to Sandy Hook at the Groove National Dance Competition!  Below is the write up! Congratulations girls!
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Local dance team takes home first place in Groove National Dance Competition
The Cheryl O’Hara Dance Elite (C.O.D.E.) company team recently competed in the Groove National Dance Competition in Huntington, MD. Their performance of “A Better Place – A Tribute to Sandy Hook”  received a Platinum Award and First Place in the Novice Large Group category. A moving performance that brought tears to the audience as well as a standing ovation.

SSSPA/C.O.D.E. is a family-oriented, 501(c)3 non-profit dance studio dedicated to the development of dance and performing arts. C.O.D.E.'s goal is to provide affordable opportunities for people of all ages and levels to participate and develop skills in all aspects of dance, theater and the arts. A sound  education in the arts contributes significantly to academic achievement in science, mathematics, social studies, language arts and other subjects; and assists the development of general cognitive skills, self-expression, discipline and confidence. C.O.D.E. is devoted to providing opportunities to participate in all aspects of performing arts. It offers professional level training in ballet, pre-pointe, pointe, lyrical, tap, acro, musical theater, voice, hip-hop and more. Additional offerings include the Competition Dance Teams, the Contretemps Ballet Corp, Apprentice Training Program, Special Needs Classes, and our Teacher In Training Program.

Registration for Summer and Fall classes are open, as well as tryouts for the competitive team are coming up soon! Please join us at Shining Stars School of Performing Arts/C.O.D.E., 11791 Fingerboard  Road #101, Monrovia, Maryland 21770, info@gossspa.com, 301-865-8788.

What are We? - Really

We always advertise that we are a 501 (3)(c) Non-Profit Dance Studio but, does anyone really know what that means?  If we asked people on the streets would they really know what that meant?

Well, we won't bore you with the logistics of what the definition of 501 (3)(c) Non-Profit is but we will tell you what it means for you:

1. Low Cost - Because we are non-profit everything we offer is at cost.  We don't jack up the prices so that we make a profit off of every little item you end up purchasing with the studio.  Most for-profit studio's have higher tuition rates, up the price of costumes anywhere from 25-75 percent of the actual cost the studio pays for them. Crazy right!  We know.  
2. Donations - Anytime you make a donation to our studio it is tax deductible.  That's right! Just like the donations you make to other charities whether it be monetary or actual items you can deduct any donation to our studio from your taxes
3. Creativity comes from within - Since we are non-profit we need to get creative without spending a whole lot of money.  This year one our our company costume accessories was made out of a Dixie bowl.  Yes, you read that right. A Dixie bowl covered in cloth.  What was it exactly?  A hat for our "flight attendant" tappers. We have the ability to pull out some of the best creativity in EVERY single one of our studio members.  Pulling talent from every angle!
4. Non-Profit doesn't mean low talent - Just because we are less expensive then the for profit studio's doesn't mean we lack in our ability to provide top notch education.  In fact, some would say we work harder because we have to keep the business growing.  Our own Company dancers took first place all around for a Tribute to Sandy Hook this past weekend at the Groove competition.  The ONLY platinum award in their category.  That is talent. That is hard work. That is AMAZING!

Summer is right around the corner and our new schedule will be released soon. We would love for you to stop by and see our studio in person. 

Toxic Hats made from Dixie Bowls

Until then enjoy this beautiful Spring!

GROOVE Dance Competition Results!

This past weekend the C.O.D.E. Company team members competed their second competition of the season in Huntingtown, Maryland at Mary Harrison Cultural Arts Center.  And we are proud of our results!  With one more competition to go we are working hard on improving our dances and producing stellar results!

GROOVE Dance Competition Results

Routine	Dancer(s)	Category	Results	Award	Overall Award	Specialty Award
Roxie	Abby Hiltke	Jazz Solo	Gold	2nd Place
B.E.P.	Caitlyn Peigh	Hip Hop Solo	Gold	1st Place
Down the Rabbit Hole	Alyssa Yammarino	Contemporary Solo	High Gold	1st Place
Zombie	Harper Lindsey	Contemporary Solo	Gold			Creativity Award
My Radio	Meghan Stokes	Hip Hop Solo	High Gold	1st Place
Wrecking Ball	Franny Sweeder-Gold	Contemporary Solo	Gold
Set Me On Fire	Shelby Hardy	Contemporary Solo	High Gold	1st Place
Maneater	Shelby Hardy	Contemporary Solo	Gold
Soon	Karly Fennington	Lyrical Solo	Gold	1st Place
All Nigh	Karly Fennington	Jazz Solo	Gold	3rd Place
Boogie Wonderland	Kaileigh Strewig	Hip Hop Solo	High Silver	1st Place
Click, Flash	Ashley Nash	Jazz Solo	Gold
Hey Little Girl	Shannon Duncan	Tap Solo	High Silver	3rd Place
Shut It Down	Kate Parker	Hip Hop Solo	Gold	1st Place		Enormous Energy Award
We Are Siamese	Karly Fennington & Ashley Nash	Lyrical Duo	Gold
Meant	Big Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold	3rd Place
The Dance	Big Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold
Why Don't You Love Me	Big Jazz	Jazz Small Group	High Gold	2nd Place
Dance at the Gym	Big Musical Theatre	Musical Theatre Small Group	High Gold	1st Place
The One	Big Hip Hop	Hip Hop Small Group	High Silver	3rd Place
Sisters	Big Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold
Crazy In Love	Big Tap	Tap Small Group	High Silver
A Better Place - A Tribute to Sandy Hook	Big and Little Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	PLATINUM	1st Place	1st Place (Junior & Novice)
Roar	Open	Open	High Gold	1st Place
Vogue	Little Hip Hop	Hip Hop Small Group	High Gold	2nd Place
I Enjoy Being A Girl	Little Musical Theatre	Musical Theatre Small Group	High Gold	1st Place
Run The World	Little Jazz	Jazz Small Group	High Gold	2nd Place
Light Em Up	Little Jazz	Jazz Small Group	Gold
Toxic	Little Tap	Tap Small Group	Gold

On Point Dance Competition Results

This past weekend the C.O.D.E. Company team members competed their first competition of the season in Towson, Maryland at Goucher College.  And we are proud of our results!

On Point National Dance Competition Results

Routine	Dancer(s)	Category	Results	Award	Overall Award	Specialty Award
Roxie	Abby Hiltke	Jazz Solo	Gold
Wrecking Ball	Franny Sweeder-Gold	Contemporary Miss On Point Solo	High Gold
Set Me On Fire	Shelby Hardy	Contemporary Solo	High Gold
Maneater	Shelby Hardy	Contemporary Miss On Point Solo	High Gold	Senior Miss On Point Title Winner
Soon	Karly Fennington	Lyrical Miss On Point Solo	High Gold
Click, Flash	Ashley Nash	Jazz Miss On Point Title Solo	High Gold	3rd Runner Up Petite Miss On Point
Shut It Down	Kate Parker	Hip Hop Solo	High Gold	1st Place
Meant	Big Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold		1st Place
The Dance	Big Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold		2nd Place
Why Don't You Love Me	Big Jazz	Jazz Small Group	High Gold	3rd Place	1st Place Dynamic
Dance at the Gym	Big Musical Theatre	Musical Theatre Small Group	High Gold		4th Place	Red Hot
The One	Big Hip Hop	Hip HopSmall Group	High Gold	1st Place	3rd Place	Great Personality
Sisters	Big Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold
Crazy In Love	Big Tap	Tap Small Group	Gold
A Better Place - A Tribute to Sandy Hook	Big and Little Contemporary	Contemporary Small Group	High Gold		2nd Place
Roar	Open	Open	High Gold	3rd Place	3rd Place
Vogue	Little Hip Hop	Hip Hop Small Group	High Gold	3rd Place	2nd Place	Madonna 2014
I Enjoy Being A Girl	Little Musical Theatre	Musical Theatre Small Group	High Gold	4th Place
Run The World	Little Jazz	Jazz Small Group	High Gold	5th Place
Light Em Up	Little Jazz	Jazz Small Group	High Gold
Toxic	Little Tap	Tap Small Group	High Gold