For the first time in more than a year, Powell’s local dance programs got to compete on the big stage.

Dancers from Victoria’s School of Dance and Absaroka Mountain Thunder — two Powell-based studios — were on hand for the Big Sky Games Dance Competition in Billings on April 17. The Victoria’s School of Dance team won 35 gold medals and one silver, while Absaroka Mountain Thunder’s four teams won gold in all seven of its clogging categories. 

“Everyone dug in and worked really hard and all of their efforts definitely paid off,” said Cindy Bjornestad, owner and director of Absaroka Mountain Thunder.

For the coaches of both programs, having the chance to compete on a grand stage was refreshing after more than a year of canceled events and altered plans due to COVID-19.

“It was good to see them back out there,” said Victoria Danovsky, owner of Victoria’s School of Dance. “Those are tough medals to win, especially when you’re competing against yourself for that award. It shows that good hard work and commitment goes a long way when you put it in there.”

The school saw “excellent” performances from every one of its dancers who ventured to Billings, Danovsky said. Danovsky’s 10-year-old daughter, Demi, won her overall age category, placing first overall in junior jazz. 

Several other performances stood out to Danovsky: Demi, Anna Smith and Caitlin Belmont placed second overall in teen jazz trio, Demi and Smith earned second overall in teen duet lyrical, and Demi, Smith, Belmont, Peyton Hamilton, Raven Tobin and Anne Aguirre finished first overall in teen lyrical as a group. 

The studio also brought a male dancer, Mark Durffey, to the competition, and he earned gold in a jazz duet with Demi. 

In such a successful outing, Danovsky was proud of her squad’s performance, as well as its character.

“I love that they’re so humble even though they know how good they are,” she said. “They cheered each other on and everybody else, too.”

Even though Absaroka Mountain Thunder’s preparation for the Big Sky competition was rushed, the team performed exceptionally in Billings. The studio was closed from March — when the pandemic began — to October, giving the girls less time to get ready for competitions.

As a whole, every member of the clogging team contributed to its near-perfect performance. 

“As with any team, it takes everyone working towards the same goals and objectives in order to obtain a successful outcome,” Bjornestad said. “All of our dancers are very dedicated to their sport.”

Victoria’s School of Dance will hold its annual “The Greatest Show” recital on June 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Powell High School before going to Nashville to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in July. Absaroka Mountain Thunder will compete at the Clog Nationals in Utah in May and perform at the Park County Fair in July.