Last few results from the final day of Newry festival: *Lyrical 17+ - 3rd for Mollie *Modern 15-16 - 4th for Lucie & a super first performance of Aimee’s new solo What a great week! Huge thank you to the feis organisers for such a well run festival and to all my fellow teachers for the laughs backstage - I think we kept each other sane! 😂 Here’s to doing it all over again in a few weeks time in Portadown! ☺️💪🏼💜

Day 5...still hanging in there 😂😴: *Lyrical Duets 15 & Over - 2nd for Mollie & Lucie *Modern 17+ - 2nd for Mollie *Character 15-16 - 2nd for Lucie *Ballet 15-16 - 3rd for Lucie *Modern Trio 11-14 - 3rd for Abbie, Evie & Janey *Lyrical 15-16 - fab dancing by Lucie & Aimee Just a reminder all Saturday classes are ON as normal tomorrow. Private classes rescheduled (messages have been sent!) Great job today girls! 💜🌟

Newry Day 4 - not much on today: *Song & Dance 15-16 - 3rd place for Lucie *Lyrical Groups Over 12 - great dancing from our girls in an insanely talented section. I would not have wanted to be in the adjudicator’s shoes tonight! How she ever made a decision I’ll never know so huge well done to everyone!! I forgot to take a Water photo but finally remembered to snap Feed the Birds (who got 87 which essentially is a 4th place mark) #UTP #UpThePigeons #TotallyMakingThisHashtagHappen 🐦😂😜 Exhausted but excited for a busy day again tomorrow! 💃🏼💜

Day 3 at Newry: *Song & Dance Groups Over 12 - Legally Blonde 2nd (so proud as it’s our first ever time competiting this & our first ever S&D group!) *Song & Dance 11-12 - 3rd for Janey in a ridiculously talented section *Lyrical 11-12 - joint 4th for Evie & Zoë & beautiful dancing as always from Janey *Modern 11–12 - 4th for Evie J & great dancing from Janey, Rachel & Evie C The standard is so high so I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you for even standing on that stage! Let’s keep bringing that energy and enthusiasm over the next 3 days! ☺️💜 #BlevinsAcademyFam

And a fabulous 2nd day at Newry: *Lyrical Groups 12&U - 1st for True Colours & lovely dancing from our Favourite Things babies out of 17 fabulous groups! *Lyrical 9-10 - 2nd for Lila (first time in open!) & beautiful dancing from Lilia *Ballet 11-12 - 3rd for Evie, 4th for Zoë & beautiful dancing from Janey in a super strong section and with VERY new solos *Song & Dance 7-8 - 3rd for Abby with her brand new solo *Ballet 9-10 - 4th for Lilia & a great job from Chloe & Kendall *Modern Duets 7-10 - great dancing from Abby & Maisie *Modern 7-8 - super job from Sara, Grace & Abby in a very strong section Super work all round - let’s keep that energy going all week girls! 💜 #BlevinsAcademyFam

Super first day at Newry Festival: *Modern Groups 12&U - The Mystery Gang - 2nd *Character 7-8 - Maisie D - 1st *Tap 7-8 - Abby U - 3rd *Lyrical Duet 7-10 - Clara & Evie - 4th *Ballet 7-8 - Maisie 4th & lovely dancing from Abby & Éva *Lyrical 7-8 - beautiful dancing from Abby & Maisie *Modern 9-10 - fantastic dancing from Lila, Evie & Kendall First time in open for several of our girls in those sections today and they did such a fab job! Keep up the great work! Standard is so high - great job from all those dancing today!🌟☺️💜

🌟 WOW! 🌟 What a BRILLIANT weekend at 5,6,7,8 Elite Dance Competition! Totally worth the long hours and exhaustion to see the joy dancing brings to these little faces and their friendships growing! Just arrived home with ‘OVERALL OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY AWARD’ (Feed the Birds) and ‘OUTSTANDING PRODUCER AWARD’ (The Mystery Gang) - two such meaningful awards to receive as a teacher/choreographer. Both groups also placed ‘Top 10’ from the whole weekend (nearly 100 groups!) Such an honour to be recognised in such a way - especially since it was our first time at 5678, our first time ever competing those groups and we only brought 3 group dances! Putting your creativity out there to be judged can be scary so a huge THANK YOU to all my girls for all your hard work and making my ideas come to life...told you I wasn’t going totally crazy when I wanted you to be pigeons!!! 😂🐦 So proud I could burst! ☺️ All results 🏆: *Lyrical Groups 9&U - 1st Place - My Favourite Things *Jazz Groups 13&U - 1st Place - The Mystery Gang *Jazz Trio 13&U - 1st Place - Abbie, Evie & Janey - Dance Like Yo Daddy (the best they’ve EVER performed it) *13&U - Janey R - 4th Place Jazz and a fabulous performance of her brand new lyrical (she was also 2 years younger than several of the competitors) *Junior Overall Costume Award - Janey R - Macavity *20&O Lyrical Groups - 1st Place - Feed the Birds *16&U - Lucie S - 4th Place Jazz, 6th Place Lyrical (in an outstanding section with new solos only finished last week!) and a Top 12 finish in ‘Senior Dance For Your Life’ *19&U - Mollie N - beautiful performance of her new lyrical solo and brilliant jazz solo Now, a few hours sleep and then time to do it all over again at Newry! 💪🏼💜 #BlevinsAcademyFam

Excitement is building! 😄 As we enter our first competition of the season this weekend, a little food for thought: Parents, choose your words wisely - don’t say anything you wouldn’t want being said about your own child. By all means compliment and credit where credit is due but please remember that these are KIDS in an amateur dance competition and it’s meant to be FUN! Not only do your kiddies learn from your words and behaviour but our actions also reflect our reputation as the ‘Blevins Academy Family’. The dance world can sometimes be a place where a negative competitive nature can take over but let’s promote a positive and encouraging ethos - being kind and friendly never goes out of style! 😎 Let’s encourage our daughters (and sons!) to be determined and have fire in their bellies but at the same time be humble winners and gracious losers. The more competitions you do, the more you learn to accept that some days it will be your day and other days, even with the exact same dance, danced to the exact same standard, it won’t be - that’s life and believe it or not, it’s not the end of the world! To all “my kids” competing at 5678 and Newry - LET’S BRING IT!! 💪🏼 Energy, enthusiasm, technique, facial expressions but most of all ENJOY and have a total blast making friends and memories that will last a lifetime! Regardless of results, I am already immensely proud of you all - anything else is just an added bonus. So excited - LET’S DO THIS! 💜💜💜 #BlevinsAcademyFam

Just watch! My favourite group dance I’ve watched in a long time. Expressenz definitely have the most sychronised turns on the entire planet but the energy, conviction and passion in this dance make it even more incredible. They scored a perfect 300/300 for this. Helps massively that the song and choreography are totally stunning! LOVE! 😍

Happy Easter Everyone! ☺️ This will forever be one of my favourite photos - I LOVE when dancers just let go and perform like they mean it! Look, I’ve even quoted my favourite line girls...😉🤣💙 #fullofcourage #feltlovecoming #whatsthatlineagain #makeupmyownwords #everytime Signing off for a few days of family time before the madness of next term - have a lovely break!

Little lady. Big relevé & retiré goals! 😍💜 All classes on as usual tonight ☺️

I don’t really ever share things that aren’t specifically dance related but this is too special not to. I missed the match yesterday as I was teaching all day but this little lady missed her normal Saturday dance class as her daddy was too busy achieving something rather spectacular! What a class photo, what a day to be from our little country and what a legend our #dancedad Rory Best is! 😉😂☘️💚

Despite how sad I am to go back to school, I am so grateful for this Xmas break, the highlight being dancing alongside @addykaylee to amazing choreo by @alexamoffett 💙💙#UrTheBest #utoonicole X

'Thinking is the biggest mistake a dancer could make. You have to feel.' ~ Michael Jackson. 🙆🏻💜 When little ones feel their port de bras it makes me totally emotional! 😢😂 #beautiful #ballet #portdebras #feeling #cute #BlevinsAcademy

I swear I spend more time with these 4 beauties than my own family...sometimes I'm convinced they may as well move in! 😂 It's been an absolute joy to watch them grow into beautiful, strong, technical, confident dancers. Their work ethic and eagerness to learn would put a lot to shame! To think some of them have only been dancing a few years is mindblowing! If they continue to work as hard, these ladies have a very bright future! 🌟💜 This was just before their private with Krista & Autie - I think they're just a little excited! 🙊😂 #BlevinsAcademyFam #dance #dancers #mygirls

Final one.....the Gals totes excited to meet @autumnmiller @kbmtalent @hharbormiller @thinkmillergroup

Unforgettable day spent with this superstar and her family 💕 It was so lovely to meet such talented, encouraging and positive people! After following the Miller's for 6+ years the whole day was like a dream 😅 You're all welcome back anytime 😘😘 #autiesfreestylefriday #kbmtalent #thinkmillergroup #blevinsacademy

It's been fun Ireland! Thanks for dancing with us today. See you tomorrow England 💃🏼💕😴😴

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So excited to be here at the Blevins Academy of Dance and Drama in Northern Ireland ! who's ready to dance today 💃🏼#millerfamtour #training #techniqueonfleek #autiesfreestylefriday

I'm So excited to be in Ireland, Can't wait to meet everyone today!!! 💃🏼🍀 💕 @blevinsacademy @kbmtalent @thinkmillergroup @hharbormiller #millerfamtour

Blevins gals are BEYOND excited to dance with the Miller Fam tomorrow😄🎉❤️ #millereve #😎

HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY @sarahblevins3 ! I appreciate everything you do to help all of our little future stars and it's been a total joy to watch you grow into such a strong, confident, beautiful dancer. We all love you! 🎂🙆🏼😘 #birthday #18 #ballet #superstar #cake #dancing #queen #blevinsacademyfam