2023-24 SENIOR D.O.T.Y.

Hi, my name is Gracie Booth, and I am 16 years old. I’m so excited and incredibly honored to represent Tremaine as Senior Dancer of the Year for the 2023-24 season!

My passion for dance began at age 6 when I took my first class at the studio I call home, West Austin Dance Academy, directed by Amy Swift-Reynolds. This will be my 11th year at my fantastic studio, and I can’t thank Amy Swift-Reynolds and the West Austin Dance Academy Staff enough for their constant support, leadership, and guidance. I couldn’t do it without you guys, and I have so much love for you all.

I attended my first Tremaine at the age of 7, and I instantly fell in love with the convention world. I will never forget, at my second Tremaine, Tony Bellissimo gave me a golden “I see you” certificate and it really boosted my confidence and helped me to keep pushing and trying my best as a young dancer. Every year I attend as many Tremaine cities as possible to grow and learn from the best. Two years ago, I was accepted into the Tremaine Performance Program, and it has truly changed my life. It has given me the opportunity to assist and make connections with some of the most incredible teachers, taught me so much about the dance industry, and I have made some of the best friends you could ever ask for!

To Joe Tremaine and all of the Tremaine staff, thank you so much for choosing me to represent you and your convention. I want to create a legacy just like you and all of the past DOTYs have. One of my biggest goals this year is to inspire as many dancers as possible and show that your passion and hard work can lead you to achieve your biggest goals, because this was mine.

2023-24 SENIOR D.O.T.Y.

Hi, I’m Cody Copley and I am 17 years old. I am so honored to be a 2023-24 Tremaine Senior Dancer of the Year.

I started dancing at the age of 2 years old, and often tell people that I grew up in a dance studio. My studio, Shooting Stars Dance Studios, is owned by my aunt, Katie Freeman. I have been training in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Tap, and Contemporary for the many years that I have been a part of the Dance Company at Shooting Stars. I would like to thank Katie as well as Nicole Deanda and all other faculty members for helping get to the point I am at today. I would truly be nothing without all of your guidance.

I went to my first Tremaine Dance Convention when I was 7 years old. I was so amazed by the whole thing. I was extremely inspired by the Dancer’s of the Year along with the Tremaine Performance Company. It became a huge goal of mine to one day represent Tremaine the same way those dancers did.

I have been lucky enough to be on TPC for two years and it has been amazing to make so many meaningful connections and to see my own personal growth.

Being from Los Angeles, California, getting all the way to Orlando for Nationals was a challenge for me and my family. However, this year being my senior year of high school, I finally got the opportunity to come to Nationals and audition for Dancer of the Year. I would like to thank my Mom, Dad, and sister for the amount of sacrifices they have made so that I could pursue my dreams. I love you guys so much!

Lastly, I would like to thank Joe Tremaine and the entire Tremaine faculty and crew. You inspire so many young dancers and you have no idea the impact you have left on so many young people’s lives. Not only have you taught me lessons in dance, but lessons for life. I could not be more excited about this upcoming year as Cody the DOTY!

2023-24 TEEN D.O.T.Y.

My name is Karleigh Miller, and I am 15 years old. I am humbled and honored to be a 2023-24 Teen Dancer of the Year! I started dancing when I was 2 years old and joined a competition team at age 5. At age 8, I attended my very first Tremaine in Kansas City. Since then, Tremaine has been my favorite convention because of the amazing faculty and staff who have created such a professional and positive environment for dancers. I train in the pre-professional program at Premier Dance under the direction of Jamie Barry. Outside of dance, I love my school, hanging out with my friends, and traveling with my family.

In 2021, I auditioned for the Tremaine Performance Company and did not make it. The “No” was both the worst and best thing that could have happened to me. It taught me to persevere, work even harder, and learn that failures can often become our greatest successes. I re-auditioned and made it in 2022, and I can honestly say this past year serving as an assistant has been the best year of my life. I love helping younger dancers in the ballroom and being pushed both personally and professionally by the faculty. The entire staff upholds an exceptional standard of growth and performance, and I am so appreciative of their leadership and mentorship. I am beyond grateful to represent Joe Tremaine’s legacy this year.

I am so thankful for the support of my Mom, Dad, sister, and my dance studio family. My goal is to cherish every moment this year, help in every way possible, and soak up the opportunity to train with the faculty. Thank you to everyone at Tremaine Dance for this incredible opportunity! I am beyond excited for the new season!

2023-24 TEEN D.O.T.Y.

My name is Jack Schofield. I am 14 years old and from Boston, Massachusetts. I am so grateful and honored to represent Tremaine as Teen Dancer of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

My dance journey began at the age of 5 when I tried recreational dance for one year, along with a few other outside activities. After that first year, I knew that dance was the one for me as I gained such a passion for it. The next year, I started competing and absolutely loved it.

I wanted to dance with my best friend who had been training at Elite Academy of Dance, so I signed up and still, to this day, it has been the best decision I’ve ever made. All my incredible teachers at Elite have trained me to become the dancer I am today and have made dance such a huge part of my life. The family-like supportive environment at this studio is like no other and I am so thankful to call it home.

To me, dance is an escape from reality. If I’m ever having a tough day, showing up at the studio immediately fixes that. I am so grateful for all the friends I have met through dance and all the lessons I’ve learned from it. I wouldn’t trade it all for the world.

I attended my first Tremaine in 2019, and absolutely fell in love with those weekends. I began to look forward to Tremaine coming to my city every year and I would cherish every second of it. Every single faculty member is so incredible and unique, which is what I love about this convention.

It still feels so surreal that I have been chosen as a DOTY, as I have been so inspired by previous winners. I can’t thank all the Tremaine Faculty and Mr. Joe Tremaine enough for this opportunity of a lifetime and I hope to inspire many dancers all around the country throughout my year. I am ready and so excited for this journey.

2023-24 PRE-TEEN D.O.T.Y.

Hey ya’ll! My name is Zoë Gardner. I am 14 years old and I live in San Antonio, Texas. I am so honored to be the first ever Pre-Teen Dancer of the Year to represent Tremaine Dance and very excited about this season. I can’t wait to carry on Dr. Joe Tremaine’s legacy!

I started my dance career at the young age of two. I remember my Dad telling me the story of how I cried when he would drop me off at tap class. I begged him to stay with me and he ended up sitting in the back of the class. He might’ve also bribed me with a cupcake or two. Dance has always been a very expressive place for me and it has also become a comfort as well. My journey into dance has been nothing but amazing. One of the biggest achievements I have experienced, because of dance, was being able to be in Disney’s The Santa Clauses alongside Mr. Tim Allen. I loved being able to not only dance, but to act and sing as well. To have the ability to train in all genres of dance has really blessed me to be able to experience the diversity within such a broad field in the arts.

I train and compete with Thrive Dance Collective with the most amazing teammates, and I am thankful for our Thrive Tribe. They are very supportive, especially my director, Mrs. Carla Sankey, who has always had my back and pushes me to be my best. From my first solo at seven years old through today, she has been exactly what I’ve needed. When I first came to Tremaine, I was eleven years old. I distinctly remember being “in my head” when I first arrived and doubting myself. I was often placed in a box saying that I was only a hip-hop dancer or that I’d only ever be good at hip-hop. That night, I competed my hip-hop solo. When I heard my name, it didn’t even register to me that I had just won First Overall in an all-genre competition. The classes really let me break free from that hip-hop title. After that, my goal was to prove to my peers that I was more than just a hip-hop dancer. It was the first time that I ever felt truly valued for my work and growth in all genres of dance. It was the first time I truly felt seen.

When I was selected for Tremaine Performance Company, I wanted nothing more than to be able to experience a deeper level of being a part of the Tremaine Dance Family. Now, I am able to train vigorously under the talented Tremaine faculty and further my career as a professional industry dancer. I am so grateful to the Tremaine family and to Dr. Joe Tremaine because without him, I wouldn’t be in this position. I will work every day and strive to be an inspiration to my peers. I hope that I am able to show dancers that they should never let anyone make them feel as though they can only be great at one genre. Break out of that box and push yourself to be better than you were the day before. I want to thank everyone, including my parents, my Mimi, and my little brother, who have supported me throughout my dance journey. I’m very excited to represent Tremaine as the first Pre-Teen DOTY this 2023-24 season!
Let’s geaux!

2023-24 PRE-TEEN D.O.T.Y.

Hello. My name is Gabrielle Schneider and I am extremely grateful to be representing Tremaine this year as Pre-Teen Dancer of the Year. My love of dance started at the young age of 3. I began with a few recreational classes until one of my teachers suggested I look into competitive dance. I have not looked back since. I live in Bentonville, Arkansas, and attend The Dance Force. I have been under the instruction of Ms. Saylor Bailey for the past 7 years. It is with her help that I gained the knowledge, training and support needed to pursue this opportunity. She also encouraged me to attend conventions, master classes and any other opportunities that would help to improve my skills and mold me into a better dancer. That is where Tremaine came in. I attended my first Tremaine at the age of 7 and was instantly hooked. I love the faculty, the energy and the inspiration those weekends provide!

I attended Tremaine Nationals for the first time in person in 2021 and loved every minute! I auditioned for Tremaine Performance Company as soon as I was old enough so I would be able to learn more closely from the faculty and continue to grow. I was a DOTY Finalist for 4 years before receiving the honor of the title. It was always my dream and, as I stated in my interview, I had that goal in mind going into every dance opportunity. I was determined to make my goal a reality.

I am a freshman this year and am on the varsity dance team at my high school. I am a member of my studio’s national competitive team and dance 20+ hours a week. Dance is truly my passion. Every time I step on a dance floor, I feel complete! I have loved learning all genres of dance. However, I am a jazz baby at heart! Each year I set goals for myself and continually work to achieve them. My goal this year is to continue learning and improving in all genres, inspiring dancers to work hard, stay humble and believe in themselves. I plan to continue dancing in college and beyond. As Joe Tremaine states, “Dance Training is Life Training!”

2023-24 JUNIOR D.O.T.Y.

Hello, my name is Emery Nichols and I am so excited to be representing Tremaine as the 2023-24 Junior Dancer of the Year!

My love for dance started early. As soon as I could walk and move, I wanted to do everything my big sister Rylie was doing. I was inspired daily to try new things just by watching her, and my parents quickly realized they had two dancers in the mix. I was lucky enough to attend my very first Tremaine event at only 2 years old, and even though I wasn’t officially dancing yet, I sure did have fun trying to keep up with the “big kids” while watching from the side lines. Fast forward a few years and I am now 10 and have been training with Independent Dance Collective for the last 3 years in Panama City, FL. I enjoy training in all styles of dance and love that my studio provides me with such a variety of ways to further my dance education. I am beyond thankful to my Aunt Ashley and our amazing team of teachers who pour their dedication, hard work, and loving hearts into each of us every single day. They have made me the dancer and person I am today. None of this is possible without their constant support, guidance, laughs and love! #YouKnow

In November 2020, I was finally old enough to officially dance and compete at my first Tremaine. I was more than excited. I remember watching Kinley on stage in my first class and asking my Mom “how do you do that?”. She responded “Do you see how BIG she is dancing? Do you see how much fun she is having?”, I nodded my head and she said, “That’s all you have to do, dance big and dance with all of your heart, go have fun!” At that moment I realized I knew exactly what I wanted, I wanted to dance with Tremaine every chance I could and I wanted to one day be up on that stage inspiring other young dancers.

Wow! Dreams really do come true! I am so honored to have been given this amazing opportunity and I look forward to all I still have to learn from a faculty that I admire so much. Thank you for your faith in me. I promise to work hard and make you proud! I can’t wait to see what this next year brings, and all the new experiences along the way. Tremaine is home, it’s family, it’s exactly where I want to be and I can’t wait to train with Tremaine!

2023-24 JUNIOR D.O.T.Y.

Hi, my name is Ivan Deal. I am 11 years old, from Hannibal, Missouri, and currently in 6th grade. I have been dancing in my community since I was 4 years old. I started my tumbling with Barb Stewart School of Dance. For the last five years, I have been dancing with Karen’s Dance Academy, which became WiLoKi Dance Studio after her retirement. I have loved to dance and tumble all my life and dancing is where I can express my feelings and love for dance. I started watching my older sister dance and fell in love with it. She started to teach me and then I just took off. When I dance under the lights, I am in my own world and it feels great. Recently, I have started to compete in several talent shows and that has also helped me to realize that dancing is my passion. I danced at Tremaine for the first time in 2022, and that started my quest of wanting to be D.O.T.Y.

I want to give a proud shout out to my amazing support team, my mommy, Renata Burton, my grandparents, my Aunt Kayla, Aunt Tonda and Aunt Maija, my sister Re’Nayjah, brother Amiion, and wonderful friends at Second Christian Church, New London.

Being a Tremaine D.O.T.Y. was a goal which I am extremely excited and grateful to have achieved. Now that I have accomplished this goal, I cannot wait to learn more from all the amazing and incredible dancers across the country. I want to thank God, my family, my community, and my dance family at WiLoKi and Karen’s for the positive inspiration and continued support. Thanks everyone.