Musick Federation of Musick Studios found success last Saturday at World of Dance (WOD) in Atlanta, Ga. Local dance enthusiasts including choreographer Justin Willis, teacher Steffan Clark, and 27 members of the team took the stage in what would become their best finish to date.
Musick Federation placed fourth, edged out by only one other studio who took all three places. Performer ages ranged from 13 to 18.
“World of Dance has always been a goal of ours,” said studio owner LeAnne Musick. “It’s the exposure we get, the goal orientation of being in front of an agent and the opportunity to be on the TV show that empowers us. We have the chance to compete against people from across the world.”
As far as prep work, the competitors spend a significant amount of time together practicing during the weeks leading up to WOD. The team put in 30-plus hours learning one routine.
According to Musick, it requires two months of non-stop training every day plus time dedicated to practicing on the weekends. Beyond the current competition, dancers have completed years of training in different genres to prepare for this moment.
Although Musick Studios has competed at World of Dance over the past few years, this year was different. Going in, the local competitors knew that there was a level of confidence present and chemistry between team members that was special.
“It just felt good and the respect was there from us as a team,” Musick said. “The majority of this group has been dancing between 6-12 years together! We’ve traveled to WOD for five years from Atlanta to Chicago; we were ready!”
According to Musick, after Musick Federation finished their competition routine, they received very positive feedback.
“People told us how blown away they were; the directors came up to me and told me how polite our kids are and how well polished they were,” she said. “Yes we are all out to win, though one studio took all three places, our score is still a huge honor. Plus we won crowd favorite. “It’s gratifying to see the whole place stand up when your kids are finished performing.”
Musick Federation is planning to return to WOD in the future are already working toward their next competition.
“I feel I was born to compete and to instill in these kids to never quit no matter how hard or easy it may seem- just keep going,” Musick said.
For full performance, watch here.
