Mokena Dance Team Wins Nationals

Mokena IL

09 August, 2021

1:10 PM

Description

By Erin Threlkeld, Richard Free Press: It's time to bust a move in celebration. On June 24, Excel — a dance team from Mokena — won Performance of the Year at the national championship held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Excel was founded in 1999 by Rachelle Ochsner, who formed her Street of Dreams Dance Studio in 2009. It was named after a solo title she performed at the age of 14. A dancer herself, she has taken an eventful journey leading up to becoming a founder and director of her own studio. After high school, she moved to L.A. and eventually New York before settling down in Chicago. "I danced my whole life," she said. "I started teaching [dance] when I was 14. I danced professionally until I was 24. I started pursuing a company, choreography and directing at 25."Street of Dreams features eight competitive teams, from preschool and kindergarten to 12th-graders. The studio offers a variety of ballet, jazz and hip hop. Excel's company is comprised of dancers — or "dreamers" — ages 11 to 18. The song that brought home the championship in late June was "For the Gun," a selection from the Broadway musical, "Chicago." Excel choreographer Seth Zibalese picked the song, and Oschner's son, Ashton, was the front man who played the puppet master. Ashton has been dancing since he was 6, Now 18, he plans to pursue choreography in L.A. like his mother did. His role in the winning performance required a great amount of skill and focus. "I had to sing most of the lyrics, do different movements and really control the audience [in the performance] to get them more engaged in the dance," he said. "When I'm dancing, I'm doing different things in leading the group. When the words are being spoken in the song, that is when it's capturing the audience." Meanwhile, co-director Meghan Tomasik, who started dancing with Street of Dreams at age 11 and has assisted with teaching hip hop at the studio since she was 19, helped the team get ready for their performance by working with them to help perfect their technique. "Working on character, making sure that everybody is going the same way and to ensure everyone is playing their specific role," Tomasik said. The national championship is not the only success story from the company, as Excel's alumni have gone on to obtain notable dance opportunities. Jamie Overla has gone on to perform with Beyonce and other celebrities. Brooke Maroon has performed as a backup dancer for the Backstreet Boys, Charlie Puth, Jason Derulo and Jordan Fisher since moving to L.A. eight years ago. Maroon credited being chosen for Excel as a big moment for her. "I just remember it boosted my confidence," she said. "Being on a team, I felt unstoppable and inspired every day." Street of Dreams Dance Studio is located at 9960 W. 191st St. Suite L in Mokena. For more information, visit https://streetofdreamsdance.com. Richard Free Press is a one-stop destination for the news that most affects you, the southwest suburban resident. Be an informed citizen of the town you live in and love.