Above: Senior combined event podium at the 2024 National Solo Dance Finals. (l-r) Brooke Tufts, Lucas Appel, Amal Israilova and Sophie Lewis. Photo credit: KRPhotogs Photography
Lucas Appel won his second senior combined gold and Khloe Felton claimed medals in three events at the 2024 National Solo Dance Finals in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Amal Israilova also took the top spot in the international solo pattern dance while Dessie Hoewing-Moxley and the team of Charlotte Manfield and Sophie Lewis won their first National Solo Dance Finals titles in the junior combined and gold international shadow dance events, respectively.
Below are results from the senior combined, junior combined, gold and international pattern dances, and the international shadow dance events.
Senior Combined
Winning his second career senior title was Lucas Appel. Representing Florida Everblades FSC, Appel bettered his second-place finish in this event last year to reclaim his title after earning gold in 2022.
His rhythm dance to a Footloose medley opened with its highest-scoring elements – a Level 3 midline step sequence followed by a Level 3 pattern dance type step sequence that received more than 11 and 12 points, respectively to tally 82.76 points. His pattern dance type step sequence earned the highest marks of the segment. He also collected Level 4 marks for an Ina Bauer type edge element and his sequential twizzles.
Going into the free dance in first place, Appel maintained his position in the standings to take gold overall. He earned Level 4s on five elements for his free dance set to “The Show Must Go On” by Queen. Appel earned 116.36 points for a total score of 199.12.
Brooke Tufts, who won gold in 2023, finished 0.6 points behind Appel with a total score of 198.52 to claim silver. Her rhythm dance to “Cold Hearted” by Paula Abdul was highlighted by her Level 3 midline step sequence and Level 3 pattern dance type step sequence, both of which were awarded mor than 11 points by the judges. She received a rhythm dance score of 81.20.
Her free dance to “Carmen” by Georges Bizet collected Level 4 distinctions for four elements, including a spiral edge element-spiral edge element combination that earned more than 14 points – the highest-scoring element of the segment by more than a point. The 2023 senior champion won the free dance with 117.32 points, but wasn’t able to overcome Appel’s lead from the rhythm dance.
Amal Israilova represented Palm Beach FSC and finished with bronze.
In the rhythm dance, Israilova’s 111.77-point performance was bookended by two elements that scored over 10 points each for a segment score of 16.06.
Later in the free dance, Israilova collected Level 4s on six elements to secure bronze with a free dance score of 111.77. Her two-day total score was 187.83.
Sophie Lewis of Washington FSC captured pewter with a total score of 166.91.
Junior Combined
Dessie Hoewing-Moxley of ION FSC won her first National Solo Dance Finals gold in the junior event. She concluded her rhythm dance with her highest scoring elements – a Level 3 midline step sequence and Level 4 sequential twizzles. Hoewing-Moxley finished the rhythm dance segment tied with Violet Yan with 63.29 points.
In the free dance, she took the lead while skating to “Skyfall” by Adele to take gold with a free dance score of 91.09 and 154.38 points overall. Hoewing-Moxley earned Level 4 distinctions for her first three elements: a crouch edge element and spiral edge element combination, sequential twizzles and dance spin.
Yan of Washington FSC clinched the silver medal with a total score of 152.77. Her rhythm dance to a Stevie Nicks medley ended on a high note with a Level 3 diagonal step sequence that was awarded nearly 11 points by the judges, contributing to a segment score of 63.29.
Tied for the lead going into the free dance, Yan earned a higher element score than Hoewing-Moxley, but fell behind in the program component score. She earned Level 4s on both her edge elements to secure silver in the final standings with a free dance score of 89.48. In total, Yan collected 152.77 points.
Claiming the third spot on the podium was Khloe Felton. Her Joann Jett medley rhythm dance and free dance to “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles received 57.23 and 80.46 points, respectively, to earn her a total score of 137.69.
Nicole Kirsanov of University of Delaware FSC clinched pewter with 133.68 total points.
Gold Solo Pattern Dance
Competitors in the gold solo pattern dance event were asked to perform a Westminister waltz and an Argentine tango variation.
Felton scored 58.91 points to claim gold. Despite finishing third on day one, Felton won the Argentine tango variation portion of the competition with 30.72 points.
Her free dance to “Kiss of Fire” by Georgia Gibbs earned a consistent 10.10 points for both pattern dance sequences and a program component score of 10.51.
In the rhythm dance, Felton skated to “Que Sera Sera” by “Doris Day” to earn a segment score of 27. 48. Her first sequence tallied 5.23 points, the highest scoring element of the event segment.
Evan Bertz represented University of Delaware FSC and captured silver. Bertz won the Westminster waltz portion with a score of 28.14 while skating to “Better Off” by Ryland James. His skate collected an element score of 18.18.
Bertz’s free dance to “El Tango De Los Assassinos” by John Powell secured 29.32 points with its highest points being awarded for his second pattern dance sequence, tallying 9.45. In total, Bertz scored 57.46 points, upgrading his pewter medal from last year to silver.
Jordan Brenne of Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association finished just 0.02 points behind Bertz with 57.44 points to take bronze. Bertz outscored Brenne in the Westminister waltz by 0.06 points with Brenne earning 28.8 points, but even though Brenne earned a higher score in the Argentine tango variation of 29.36 compared to Bertz’s 29.32, it was just short of the silver medal position.
Jessica Wang of Scott Hamilton SC clinched pewter, scoring 53.86 points.
International Solo Pattern Dance
In this event, skaters were tasked with performing a Ravensburger Waltz and a tango romantics variation.
The 2023 junior combined champion, Israilova captured gold by more than five points and 67.23 points in total. The opening sequence of her Ravensburger waltz earned 5.32 points, the most of her four elements, for a score of 31.10.
In her tango romantics variation program to “Tango Romantica De Los Exilados” by Tulsa, Israilova earned a 14.56-point component score for a segment score of 36.13.
Standing next to Israilova on the podium with the silver medal was Lewis. Lewis skated to “Flora’s secret” by Aidana and earned an event-high element score of 18.29 for a segment score of 29.33.
On day two of competition, Lewis’ program set to “Pa' Bailar (Siempre Quiero Más)” by Bajofondo and Julieta Venegas tallied 32.60 points with its highest points awarded for the first pattern dance sequence.
Shin Lei Case took bronze for the third consecutive year and secured her fourth podium finish in this event with a total score of 59.75, beating her score from last year by 1.2 points.
In the Ravensburger waltz, Case received 6.19 points for presentation to total 28.63 points on the first day of competition.
Both sequences in her tango romantica variation set to “Poema” by Romántica Milonguera collected 9.84 points, contributing to her segment score of 31.12.
Rounding out the podium in fourth was Mina Esfandiari, scoring 57.13 points in total.
Gold International Shadow Dance
To cap off the weekend of competition, Charlotte Manfield and Sophie Lewis won gold in the gold-international shadow dance competition. The duo representing Washington FSC and University of Delaware FSC tallied 28.65 points with 9.45 points being awarded for their first pattern dance sequence. Their program set to “Keep Holding On” by Avril Lavigne claimed the highest program component score of the event with 10.80 points.
In a close race to the top spot of the podium, Felton and Brenne skated to “Second Waltz” by André Rieu and finished just 0.05 points behind Manfield and Lewis with a score of 28.60 to claim silver. Representing the Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association, the 2023 champions in this same event earned an element score of 18.20, the highest element score of the competition.
SC of Morris' Taapti Rana and North Jersey FSC's Gloria Wang claimed bronze with 25.48 points. Their presentation and skating skills elevated their performance, collecting 4.92 points each towards their total score.
Manfield and Lewis’ fellow Washington FSC teammates Karin Kaneda and Tina Li finished with 24.66 points to take pewter.
For full results from the 2024 National Solo Dance Finals, click here.
