Mermaid Tails Dance Racking Up Accolades

Youthful performers Mermaid Tails Dance have been making a name for the school and themselves this year with stellar performances in major dance competitions. 

Most recently, the girls from the Marco Island-based studio’s competition team took part in the Starpower National Dance Competition at Suncoast Arena in Fort Myers. They returned home with several first-place finishes, among other honors. Their performances were among the roughly 300 dance routines in the late-March competition, which included the solo, duet and group categories.

In late February, they dazzled onlookers and judges at the Magic City’s Dance World Regional Dance Competition, held at Barron Collier High School. There they won seven first-place trophies and other awards. 

The Starpower Nationals were not only the 18-month-old academy’s third competition this season, but also the third the studio has ever entered.

“I mean, I don't know how to describe it,” said Kristin Croscenco, Mermaid Tails’ owner and founder, about the team’s success. “It's pretty incredible. It's very, very exciting. We are so proud of these girls and how far they have come in their first year competing. They have grown so much from where they started.”

MIDA’S competition team consists of 13 dancers in three different categories: 

The Mini Team (ages six to eight) is Kora Croscenco, Savannah Stull, Alexa Russo, Bella Salomon, Isabella Shaughnessy, Monroe Gentile and Delaney Simon.

The Junior Team (ages nine to 11) is Gianna Russo, Hudson Clayton, Emma Dennis and Marisa Munera.

The Senior Team (age 16) is Collette Combs and Veronica Fernandes.

At the Starpower Nationals, the Mini, Junior and Senior teams all placed first in their categories. The Mini team also took second overall in the small group division. They also received a $300 scholarship to perform on the Allure of the Seas cruise ship in January as part of the “Battle of the Seas” dance competition. At the February competition, the Mini Team also won a $500 Scholarship to compete in Magic City’s National Dance Competition on June 21.

The Junior Team placed seventh in the small group division and won the “Light Up the Stage” award for their outstanding performance. And for the Senior Team, Combs and Fernades won a full scholarship to attend a WILD Dance Intensive, which is a one-day dance program that tours the U.S., offering dancers an opportunity to improve their skills by learning from world-renowned dance choreographers and educators.

In addition, the Starpower Nationals saw: 

* Kora Croscenco perform her “No Excuses” solo routine, earning first place in her age group, receiving a five-star rating and placing sixth for solos for dancers under 12.

* Kora Croscenco and Alexa Russo perform their “Snowman” duet for a fourth-place finish and the judge’s “Rising Stars Award.”

* Delaney Simon and Bella Salomon perform their duet, “Rise Up,” which placed third in the duet category. 

Kristin Croscenco credited the studio’s choreographer and dance teacher, Sarah Feiertag, with “choreographing these amazing routines for these girls to perform.”

The next competition for the studio is set for April 22 in Fort Myers at the “Turn In Around Tour Dance” contest. Then, from April 27 to April 20, the team will travel to Miramar, Florida, to compete in the “LEAP Dance.” That will be their last competition before the National Competitions in June and the World Dance Championship in July.

Mermaid Tails will be changing its name to Marco Island Dance Academy this summer. However, the Mermaid Tails program for recreation dancers will still be offered, as will the Marco Sharks Martial Arts program.

Mermaid Tails Dance and Marco Sharks MMA is located at 1089 N. Collier Boulevard, Unit 422. For more information, visit mermaidtailsdance.com or call 399-0551. For Marco Sharks MMA, visit marcosharksmma.com.