Apr 24, 2008
John Jay Middle School student Brianna Wuensch
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Born with dancing in her blood
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At 2, she wanted to start dancing. At 3, she took her first class. She was winning dance titles by the time she was 6, and now, at 12, Brianna Wuensch has won too many awards to list. The John Jay Middle School seventh grade student was recently crowned Junior Miss That’s Entertainment and Miss Pre-teen Sophisticated overall title soloist.
“I don’t know what made me want to start dancing — I guess it was just in my blood when I was born,” Brianna told The Ledger. “When I compete, it’s not for people to know that I’m the best, it’s because I love to dance.”
Brianna has been taking classes at Lori’s Center Stage Dance Company in Danbury, Conn., with Lori Novella-Murphy since she was very young, and Ms. Novella-Murphy helps her with each of her performances. Brianna has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical dance styles, attending two solo lessons a week as well as six technique classes and company rehearsals. According to her mother, she’s at the studio almost every day, from 4 to 9, training.
“Brianna’s just got the whole package. Even at a young age, she was winning titles,” said Ms. Novella-Murphy. “Even the simplest moves, she makes look great. She’s got such beauty and grace when she dances. She’s only 12, but she doesn’t put on any airs, and she’s so driven for 12 years old.”
Ms. Novella-Murphy choreographs all of Brianna's dances, including the lyrical dance routine Stand Up for Love, which Brianna danced at That's Entertainment on Saturday, Feb. 3. In order to win the Junior Miss That's Entertainment crown, Brianna not only had to participate in the dance competition, but also had to compete in formal and casual-wear modeling competitions.
To date, Brianna has won six regional titles, as well as numerous first-place and top-10 awards for her performances. Her first title, Petite Miss Starpower, was awarded when she was 6. Now she trains with students who are older, doing moves that are usually taught to juniors and seniors in high school, Ms. Novella-Murphy said.
All of the competition has taken its toll — since she began competing, Brianna has broken her foot three times while dancing. Twice she has completed her performance on a broken foot before leaving for the hospital. But that hasn’t changed her determination to dance.
“I love competing, and going to competitions for dancing,” Brianna said. “The day before, I get a little bit nervous, but once I’m out on the stage, I’m fine, because I just love performing.”
And she has no plans on giving it up anytime soon. Although she is still in middle school, Brianna has a definite aim in life: to major in dance at college, to perform, and, when she has finished performing, to open her own studio.
“Of course, I want to continue dancing,” she said. “It’s very time-consuming, but I’m OK with it.”
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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