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WEST MILFORD - Local teen wins Miss Dance of the US competition
The New Miss Dance of the United States, Giulia Griffith, poses for a picture with Sean Flanagan, Chief Executive Officer and President of the United States Tournament of Dance, just after winning the crown and just before the traditional helicopter tour of Atlantic City for the national dance competition's winner.
WEST MILFORD - One of the best dancers in the world is Giulia Noel Griffith, who lives in West Milford.
Giulia was crowned as Miss Dance of the United States, winning out over some the best dancers in the nation. The weeklong competition culminated in her coronation on Sunday, July 13.
“I’m really honored that I won, because the United States Tournament of Dance competition has Miss Dance go on a goodwill tour,” said Giulia last Wednesday, also her 17th birthday. She will be going to New Orleans soon to help out dance studios in the Hurricane Katrina-afflicted areas to “get back on their feet.”
“The fact that I get to help out a charity and a good cause by doing something that I absolutely love to do means a lot to me,” she said.
Giulia won out of a field of about 50 of the nation’s best dancers in the competition that began back in February with regional contests. From there, she progressed to the nationals, and then to the finale of the Miss Dance competition – a weeklong stay in Atlantic City featuring various events, dance classes and public appearances for the final 12 contestants.
The girls went on a shopping spree of the Atlantic City outlets to pick out and design their own outfits and received interview tips from current Miss America Kirsten Haglund. The Miss America organization is affiliated with the Miss Dance of the United States competition.
The girls went through an interview process with judges and Chief Executive Officer and President of the United States Tournament of Dance Sean Flanagan.
Flanagan said Giulia was chosen to hold the national title because of “her dance ability, obviously. The judges believed her execution of her routines primarily was the main reason, and in addition to that, she had a wonderful interview, and the judges felt that she truly believed in her number, as opposed to just performing it. She made the audience believe, and that she had feeling about what she was doing. That, coupled with her talent and attitude, really landed her overall the winning spot.”
As Miss Dance, Giulia will be featured on her own dance clothing line by AMB Designs that will be sold in 1,100 stores nationwide. She was also awarded $10,000 and gifts from the competition’s national and local sponsors.
Most important of all to Giulia is that as Miss Dance, she will be raising money for the American Cancer Society (ACS). Every Miss Dance competitor chooses a charity, and Giulia chose the ACS because her family has lost several loved ones to cancer.
“I’m doing something great with something that I work hard for. I’ve had a lot of people close to me pass from cancer,” said Giulia. “It’s important to me to try to find a cure and to try to help out in any way.”
“The charity aspect is big for her. She’s going to be able to dance and perform and make appearances, and at the same time raise money for a charity that she cares about, and that’s a wonderful thing,” said Giulia’s mom, Cynthia Rance. She’s been the silent partner in Giulia’s dancing enterprise since her daughter first began dancing when she was 3 years old after seeing a presentation of “The Nutcracker” on television. Since then, Giulia’s mom has spent countless hours getting Giulia to dance classes and competitions.
“She works very hard. She goes to school full time and dances almost every night until 10 p.m. This is really exciting. This is a goal she’s had for years. She just reached her goal. It’s an amazing feeling,” said Cynthia. Giulia will be a junior at West Milford Township High School in the fall.
“I’m not sure where this will take her, but I know she’ll be having a career in dance,” said Cynthia.
“I want to do this for a living. I want to try out to become a (Radio City) Rockette and from there hopefully do a lot more and find dance gigs, and then when I get old, open up my own dance studio,” said Giulia.
Giulia’s home studio to study dance is The King Centre for the Performing Arts in Wanaque. Natalie King Smith of the dance centre choreographed Giulia’s title-winning dance routine.
Giulia has had few spare moments since winning the crown. This weekend, the new Miss Dance was scheduled to make a dance appearance at a New York Liberty basketball game being held at Arthur Ashe stadium in Queens.
Despite all of her new responsibilities, the new Miss Dance of the United States said she will never tire of dancing.
“It’s my favorite thing to do. I love performing,” said Giulia. “Dancing is always there for me, and I’ll always have it. I do it all year round, six days a week. I couldn’t imagine my life without it.”
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