Euphoria Dance Center of Great Bend has committed to a full schedule of dance competitions this season.  On April 12 and 13, dancers attended the Edge competition in Wichita for the first time, and came home with plenty of gold.   
Dancers competed in two classes, each based on the level of experience and hours spent in studio.  Future Edge is the category for dancers who have not competed before, and who spend two hours or less and two years or less in studio.  Competitive Edge is for competitive dancers with three or more hours and years in studio.  They were called to the front of the stage 36 times to accept awards--21 for high gold, and 15 for gold.
Feil said It’s important to have designations like these because students begin at different times in their lives.  
“Judges see these designations and have an idea of what to expect,” she said.  “They have different ranges of what they are judged on.”
Surprisingly, one of the areas judges focus on the most is a dancer’s face, she said.
“A dancer needs to convince the judge he or she is the character they are trying to portray.  They need to connect to the song.”
And that is what makes it difficult to define whether dance is an art or a sport.  For Feil, it’s simply both.
“You have to use both sides of your brain,” she said.  “A dancer has to have a lot of self discipline, because there are so many areas that really matter, from posture and tone to dedication to practice.”
EDC will present a spring recital May 17, at the Barton Community College auditorium.  The theme will be “We are Wild.”  A 2 p.m. recital will feature performances by EDC’s studio dancers, and a 7 p.m. recital will feature the competitive dancers.  Tickets for both performances are $4 each, and can be reserved online at www.showtix4u.com by 11 a.m. on May 17.  A limited amount will also be available at the door, which will open 30 minutes before curtain.