Milford Performing Arts Center dance team shows team spirit

The Dancers Inc. and Nexstar Talent Competitions recently awarded its backstage performance award to the Milford Performing Arts Center dance team. The award goes to the dance studio that exhibits the most team spirit among themselves and with competing studios. It is the second year running that the MPAC dance team, shown at left, has received the award from the Nexstar Competition, team officials said in a statement.
Staci D’Andrea, 13, of Milford, a student of MPAC under direction of Heidi Goldbach for the past 10 years and the winner of numerous gold medals and high score awards, was most recently selected to attend the New York/Los Angeles Dance National Performance Project in New York city. officials said. Team members Camille Ross, of Milford; Sarah DeFeo, of Orange; and Kaitlyn Bruneau, Alisha Vollano and Jillian Fiedler, all of West Haven, also were selected to attend the performance project.
"You are proud as a parent for the recognition your child received for their dance performance, but it’s not just the success of winning. It’s more importantly learning about sportsmanship and discipline in team spirit," Staci’s mom, Robin D’Andrea, said in the statement.
Goldbach said she is extremely proud of all of the studios’ accomplishments but most proud to instill in her dancers the importance of team spirit and good sportsmanship, according to the statement.