Marco Island Dance Academy Enjoys Success

This summer has been one of major accomplishments for Marco Island Dance Academy (MIDA) and the young ladies who make up its competition squads. 

On June 16, the academy’s entry in the Petite Team category finished first at Magic City Dance World’s 2023 national championship, held in Miami. In outperforming teams of other eight-to-12-year-olds, Delaney Simon, Kora Croscenco, Isabella Shaughnessy, Savannah Stull, Bella Salomon, and Alexa Russo captured a six-feet-tall trophy now proudly displayed at MIDA’s studio. 

In late July, the academy’s petite squad traveled to Secaucus, New Jersey, to perform at the World Dance Championship with Star Dance Alliance. There, the girls competed against dancers from 198 studios representing Ukraine, China, Canada, and six additional countries. 

“The Petite Team represented a part of TEAM USA, and while they did not advance to the Top Five out of the 59 (dance routines) that competed, the petite team performed their best routine of the season and closed out their final competition of the season as World Dance Champion finalists,” said MIDA owner Kristin Croscenco.

In order to be invited to the World Dance Championship, MIDA’s petite team had to receive a coveted Golden Ticket at the Star Power Regional Championship held in March in Fort Myers. The girls, performing their routine “Fight Song” with added member Monroe Gentile, beat out more than 225,000 dancers to be invited to the world event. 

The championship was only the academy's third time taking part in a competition. MIDA dancers also earned several first-place finishes and other honors at competitions held earlier in the year. That includes Kora Croscenco, who competed on July 1st in Orlando at the Star Power National Championships, where she placed first in the “Mini” category, ages six-to-eight, for her acrobatic routine. Out of 200 dancers, she also received the judge’s choice award for cutest smile.

“This whole season has been more than I expected,” said her mother, Kristin Croscenco. “I mean, they've done such a great job for their first year of being in any type of competition. I don't think any of them expected to advance so much and win all the awards they've won over this entire year. For a first-year competition team to be invited to compete against the caliber of athletes that were at the championship, it's just incredible. It's definitely humbling, and it's a very big deal for them.”

Formed in late 2021, MIDA offers instruction for children ages one and above in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, cheer dance, lyrical, contemporary, aerial arts, and “acro” (acrobatic) tumbling. There are also mommy-and-me classes for children six months to three years old, which feature activities designed to develop motor, cognitive and social skills, and spatial concepts. 

Croscenco said that while the debut season has been an excellent one, she’s looking forward to even more success when the next raft of competitions begins. 

“For this upcoming dance season the team has expanded from 12 dancers to now 27 new competition team members, plus a new boys-only hip-hop competition team,” she added. “We are so excited for this next season and enrollment is open now for recreation classes at marcoislanddanceacademy.com.

Marco Island Dance Academy is located at 1089 N. Collier Boulevard, Suite 422. For more information, visit the website or call 399-0551.