Miss Andrea’s Dance Factory Rocks Out To Win

Miss Andrea’s Dance Factory rocks out to win, moves into next phase of competition
By Marianne Mueller
REPORTER
Miss Andrea’s Dance Factory exhibited the best of dancing skills at the Midwest Starz Competition in the Wisconsin Dells on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26 and 27.
Sixty dancers shined in the spotlight. Solo acts were featured by 26 induvial, and eight duets or trios were performed in the styles of jazz, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, clogging, and musical theater.
Winners emerged in the following categories: First through 5th place Mini Duet Trios, 3rd and 4th in Mini Small Group, 2nd place Pre-Teen Large group, 3rd and 4th place Teen Small group, 3rd place Teen Large Group, 4th Place Teen Small group, 3rd place Teen Large Group, 1st place Teen Production, 3rd and 4th place Senior Large Group, and 5th place senior Duet/Trio. Special awards earned include: The Synergy Award, Character Commitment award, Max Personality Award and a Broadway Bound Award!
Dancers from MADF will go on to a competition in two weeks in Madison, WI.
“We have welcomed several new members to our team and we are so excited to see what the New Year has in store for them,” Owner of MADF, Andrea Mueller said.
Miss Andreas Dance Factory has been a staple of dance in the Rockton community for the past 27 years. With years of personal training under her belt Andrea Mueller moved forward in her career teaching dance at the Beloit YMCA in the fall of 1992. Dancers were moved to the WIN Center in 1998. When the WIN Center was unable to keep itself afloat Mueller branched out into her very first studio at 1503 Saint Lawrence Avenue in Beloit. Opening day was October 1st of 1999.
When Mueller first started teaching she had about 55 dancers. Over time that number grew to 145 at the YMCA. Numbers dropped significantly when Beloit Corp had to close their doors and people couldn’t afford it any longer. Over time the studio built their numbers back up and by the time they left the Saint Lawrence location Miss Andrea was back up to the 140 range of students.
The first competitive dance team started in 1999 with six dancers. Over the years MADF has continued to grow. The Rockton studio is now housed in a much bigger State of the Art facility to better serve their customers at 624 N. Blackhawk Blvd. Mueller also owns a second location in Rockford inside the Springbrook Rd. location of the Gymnastics Academy of Rockford.
This well known, popular dance studio offers ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, modern/contemporary, hip hop and musical theatre, along with other unique classes that have been added including Mommy and Me, Yoga, African, Latin, Adult Hip Hop, Adult Ballet and Clogging. In order to teach students in the most effective way Mueller relies on the help of highly qualified and equally skilled team members.
Dancers who learn at Miss Andrea’s Dance Factory come from the local area as well as dancers that travel several times a week from areas such as Poplar Grove, Edgerton, Milton and the south side of Rockford. “Some of the same kids that I started with originally now have kids who are dancing with me,” “Mueller said.
Students have a Christmas Show, a Spring Recital and a team Winter Showcase on a yearly basis. Miss Andrea’s dancers invite everyone to come out and to be part of this long time tradition at the 2018 annual Christmas show!
Every year Miss Andreas Dance Factory gives back to the community in different ways. Currently they are in the process of collecting nonperishable foods to give to the Old Stone Church Food Pantry.