APDA Dance Tamworth had a record 27 girls via for spots in the top 14 for juniors and top 12 for seniors at the event, held at the International Convention Centre.

With a record six national finalists, it was the club’s most successful year since the inception of APDA and our club in 2012.

Its national finalist were Addison Lockyer (five years), Molly Arnold and Lily Stacpoole (nine years), Rachel Brown (12 years), Bonnie McIntyre (14 years) and Shelby Botfield (open elite senior).

In 2018, the APDA moved to the International Convention Centre, a new world-class venue, for the nationals.

For the first time ever, our junior and senior national championships were hosted over one weekend, allowing performers from across Australia to come together in Sydney to watch all ages of competition. The age groups ranged from five years to open ladies.

To qualify for the junior section of the event, more than 200 Tamworth girls competed in October at the North West-North Coast APDA junior zone competition at Calrossy. Later in October, the club’s senior girls (ages 13 to over 18) competed at Abbotsleigh for a spot at the national finals.

“We had five girls compete and had two girls [Bonnie McIntyre and  Shelby Botfield] successfully progress through in their age group. These two girls also competed at the Darling Weekend of the national finals,” said Leigh Botfield, of APDA Dance Tamworth.

The juniors who joined McIntyre and Botfield in Sydney were Addison Lockyer (five years); Jorja Arnold (six years); Brooklyn Stackpoole, Lily Darlington, Kayla MacBeth and Ava Butters (seven years); Ruby Herden, Morgan Lockyer, Haylee Rheinberger, Emily Hatton and Addison Smart (eight years); Lily Stacpoole, Amy Brown and Molly Arnold (nine years); Hannah Butters (10 years); Freya Johnson, Chloe Lockyer,  Kaitlin Rheinberger, Laura Davis and Sophia Markham-Fisher (11 years); and Maddison Stacpoole, Mollie Jolliffe, Jade Wilson, Phoebe Little and Rachel Brown (12 years).

APDA is a fusion of physie and dance.