2 Danbury Tap Dancers Take Home the Gold!

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Lindsey Bieber, a 6th grader at Westside Middle School Academy, and Mackenna Beirne, a sophomore at Danbury High School, won Gold medals while representing the USA in Riesa, Germany at the International Dance Organization’s World Tap Dance Championships. Mackenna scored:

Junior agedSolo- The Bronze medalDuo- The Bronze medal Trio- The Silver medal Group- The Gold medal

Lindsey’s trio scored the Gold medal for the child’s trio division.

The competition is an annual event held during the first week in December. It draws over 1,300 talented and passionate tappers from around the globe.

The International Dance Organization was founded in 1981. It offers an Olympic-style competition to amateur and professional dancers of all genres. The IDO currently has membership in over 90 nations.

Beirne and Bieber are part of the 2014 USA’s tap team, along with other female and male dancers from all over the US. This year, 12 of the young women who made it onto the team, including Beirne and Bieber, train at Seven Star School of Performing Arts in Brewster, New York.

Beirne has been part of the team for three years now. This year she performed in the junior-aged solo, duo, trio, and group categories. This is Bieber’s second year on the team. She was part of a trio in the child’s age category. Last year each of the girls’ routines made it into the final rounds, placing within the Top 6, bringing home trophies for their country. Additionally, Beirne earned a Silver medal in 2013 and in 2012 she brought home a Silver and a Gold for the USA.

Diane Gudat, one of 2013’s US judges shared some observations in Dance Studio Life magazine. “The onstage sportsmanship was heartwarming, but the backstage goings-on told an even more inspiring story. Amid all the hustle [of tight performances, last minute rehearsals, and quick costume changes] I saw two passing coaches hug and laugh. Groups of dancers... exchanged pins, bracelets, and other trinkets representing their countries, or took selfies with new friends. Everywhere, small improvisational circles formed as the dancers shared steps, speaking in the language they shared and knew best: Rhythm. And behind all the action, voices and laughter, the sound of metal taps striking the floor never stopped.”