8th grader Alexander Laplante Wins 2011/2012 Middle School Talent Show
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- Published on Thursday, 26 January 2012 16:07
Excitement filled the atmosphere inside the Sandra O. Stephens Center for Fine Arts auditorium yesterday afternoon as parents, faculty, friends, and MVA Middle-school students entered and were seated in anticipation of the 2011/2012 Montverde Academy Middle School Talent Show. As performers began their final preparations backstage before the competition, MVA Middle-school Dean Warren Delmolino welcomed the capacity crowd - many of whom were wearing unorthodox leg-stockings attire in support of "crazy-sock-day" - a campus-wide recognition of support part of MVA Spirit Week activities leading up to the M.A.I.T basketball tournament that begins today. Mr. Delmolino also reminded those in attendance to "be respectful to performers, because it is always difficult to perform in front of others" as to suggest that the respect they provide as spectators/observers can positively affect the entertainment and artistic offerings of the performers. Soon after Mr. Delmolino finished his opening remarks, Allison Williams read an introductory prayer and Carrie Vaughn then led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance - both are MVA Middle-school students. Mrs. Claudia Amaya was the sponsor of this years' talent show and the judges selected for the event were MVA Upper-school students. The talent show was hosted very well by MVA Middle-school students Cooper Rosario and Emily Martin.
The day's performances were all truly exceptional and showcased the varied degrees of diversity and range of creative expressions. For instances, there was the wonderfully ambient ballet/jazz/lyrical solo dance of Andrea Alvarez, an allegorical/combined vocal and story-telling piano presentation of the famous Billy Joel song "Piano Man" as sung and performed by Alexander Laplante, a powerful yet soft harmonic duet adaption of pop vocalist Adel's "Set Fire to Rain" as sung by Erin Lafferty and Maya Rafai, a 1950's Buddy Holly-style electric guitar solo performance of the 1970's Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" played by Spencer Springstead, the spectacular belly-dancing duet of Jasmine Badr and Allison Adawi, Juliet Lochead's contemporary vocal interpretation of American singer Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and Christina Morrison's pleasant vocals and piano performances as both a contestant and as the introductory music to the event - just to name a few of the talent show highlights.
At the conclusion of talent show performances, the "MVA Zumba Girls" presented an innovative dance routine as the audience awaited the judge's final decisions. Then the winners were announced and MVA 8th grader Alexander Laplante was awarded 1st place winner, coming in 2nd place was the satire-based group-skit "America Doesn't Have Talent" (that poked fun of a popular television show with a similar name) and placing 3nd was Jamie Thompson and her wonderfully dynamic dance and batons twirling performance. The talent show was superbly conducted and a complete pleasure to experience for those in attendance and for all the performers (Andrea Alvarez, Alexander Laplante, Erin Lafferty, Maya Rafai, Spencer Springstead, Jordan Cook, Jamie Thompson, Skyler Rosine, Grace Holder, Joshua Mauer, Katherine Ghivizzani, Sydney Hardat, Olivia Young, Taylor Teasley, Jennifer Teasley, Juliet Lochead, Christina Morrison, Jasmine Badr, Allison Adawi, Emily Martin, Alexina Mora, and Cooper Rosario) the event a wonder opportunity and forum to express their immense creative talents.
