GymKix kids put on a show at Lea Ledger Auditorium

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press

Dozens of GymKix students showed off their moves to an excited audience of family and friends, when the High Velocity Dance Company presented their 3rd annual showcase at the Lea Ledger Auditorium Saturday night. 

Saturday’s show was free and open to the public, and featured children from ages 2-18 performing a variety of complex twirls, jumps, and more to songs including “Freaks,” “Lost Boy,” and “The Trouble With Boys” to name a few. The GymKix group performed a variety of routines including lyrical, character, musical theater, jazz, hip-hop, and more. 

The show came on the heels of another performance, and Nationals during which all five teams that competed took 1st place. The competitors ranged in age from 7-18, and some of the award-winning performances were demonstrated again on Saturday.

“They blow me away every time,” said Carrie Harris, one of the owners of GymKix. “I think they gave 110 percent.”

“I think they’ve been able to showcase several varieties of the dances that they offer,” said Christina Rivera, whose daughter Nevaeh Rivera (11), performed in the show. “I love GymKix.”

Rivera said that thanks to GymKix, her daughter has a lot more confidence and has come out of her shell. She likes that her daughter is able to burn a lot of energy at GymKix.

“I loved it. They continuously amaze me every year,” said Jessica Finton about the performance. “I’m just so proud of them.”

Finton said that some of the kids teach and help choreograph the routines. The students learn a lot from their instructors, and several of them have spent many years with GymKix eventually helping to teach and help with the younger members.

Scarlett Gardner (18) is one of those students. Gardner began dancing at age four and will soon be graduating and pursuing dancing in college. She said it’s been hard balancing schoolwork and dance, but added that it’s been really rewarding.

“I like it because it teaches me how to be a role model,” said Gardner. “This was my last time dancing with them, so it’s really bittersweet.”

Many of the dancers and their parents said that dancing has helped them out in their lives whether it’s by staying fit and active or by finding new friends and just having fun.

“I love it. It’s great,” said Desiree Gonzales whose daughter Maela Gonzales (11) performed in the show. “My daughter’s grown a lot as a dancer, and it’s been really fun to see that. She’s been dancing since she was five…It’s taught her responsibility. It’s given her good athletic abilities and camaraderie with her teammates. It’s been a good support system for her. We’re a military family, so we have a lot of changes in our life and the consistency of the gym and the dance team is great.”

Although Saturday’s showcase focused primarily on dance, there were also some tumbling moves added in here and there.

GymKix isn’t only about dance. They offer many other activities and programs such as gymnastics, tumbling, and even a Ninja Zone program which combines martial arts and gymnastics and is geared towards boys as well as girls.

“As talented as these kids are, we also really love working with beginners,” said Harris.