The dance team of Pioneer Dance Arts won two gold awards, a silver award, two second-overall awards, a special professional award, and a convention scholarship award at the Regional Dupree Convention/Competition held at the SeaTac Hilton, March 12-13.

Sponsored by the Performing Company of Pioneer Dance Arts, a nonprofit organization, the dance team consists of five Sequim students: Danielle Arnold, Hailey Estes, Allison Masangkay, Katie Oliver and Trey Baldwin. The team attended the convention with their director, Kathleen Moore.

The dance team won a gold and second overall for their performance of “Simple Gifts” in the advanced ballet group category and received a silver award for “If Today Was Your Last Day” in the advanced jazz group category.

Baldwin, a senior at Sequim High School, won gold, second overall, and special professional awards for his advanced contemporary solo, “Carmina Burana: O Fortuna.” Baldwin was selected for a convention scholarship award.

Masangkay began her study with PDA when she moved to Sequim from New Jersey and Katie Oliver has danced with the Performing Company since 2006. Baldwin has studied dance intermittently at the Pioneer Dance Arts studio since he was 5 years old. Estes and Arnold have been students of Pioneer Dance Arts since they were 3. Baldwin, Estes and Arnold have served as role-models/assistant teachers for classes at Pioneer Dance Arts.

Dupree Dance conducts competitions in cities throughout the United States, with a faculty of successful choreographers and teachers: One of the teachers in Seattle was Thayne Jasperson, with season four of “So You Think You Can Dance” and “High School Musical” on his list of credits.

The next competition for the dance team is Hollywood Vibe, April 29-May 1.