Valencia High dance finalist to perform in Music Center showcase 

Valencia High School junior Brooklyn Covington said she began dancing at age 5 because her parents needed to find something to put all her energy into, not knowing it would be all she would ever want to do forever. 

Covington is a dance finalist in The Music Center’s “Spotlight” showcase that celebrates young artists across Southern California at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in May. She is performing her tap solo to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. 

She said she won a $5,000 cash prize in addition to being a finalist. 

“I came back from school, and my dad told me I won, and I was so excited. I was so honored because I really do think this is a big deal, and I’ve wanted to win it for years now, so it’s just, yeah, I’m very honored,” Covington said. 

She said that she decided to do a tap solo because it was something different than her competitors. 

Video courtesy of Brooklyn Covington.

Before her performance in the competition to become a finalist, she said she felt nervous but got a lot of adrenaline when she performed. 

“I always get a little nervous, which is a good thing. But at the end of it, I was so proud of myself, and I don’t know, I just got so much adrenaline from doing my solo, because I love this solo,” Covington said. 

Covington said the competition began with hundreds of people, and for the dance category that Covington competed in there were 11 in the finals. Once she auditioned for the finalist spot, she was one of the winners in the category, alongside Gracyn French, who is a junior at Mission Viejo High School. 

“I’m just excited. Like, nothing can go wrong.
There’s nothing I’m fighting for. It’s more like this is what I did this year, and I can’t wait to show everybody. And yeah, it’s an honor to dance at that showcase, so I can’t wait,” Covington said about getting ready for the showcase. 

Covington said she gives thanks to her dance studio, Studio 1 Dance Academy, her choreographer, Mandy Dray, and Studio 1’s owner, Jan Frishette, for all their support and love in helping her achieve her goals.