Students at J & L Dance Center in North Bergen are not your everyday dancers, but instead present the triple threat of dancing, singing and acting. Their dedication paid off at Access Broadway’s regional competition in Atlantic City last month.
J & L Dance Center, at 7309 Broadway Ave., was started 16 years ago by Josefina Garcia and Elizabeth Martinez. The sisters, who previously lived in West New York and North Bergen, decided to open up a dance school in Hudson County after studying dance throughout the tri-state area.
The school now draws students from Elizabeth to Ridgefield Park, and has kept its focus on producing students who embody a multitude of talents, not just dance.
For their recent success, students performed group dances, solo dances, monologues, and songs in a competition that rewards multiple abilities, Access Broadway.
J & L Dance brought home six platinum, seven high gold, and five gold awards for group dances. For solo dances, they won three platinum, 12 high gold, and six gold awards. In duo and trio dance categories they received one platinum, four high gold, and one gold. In the vocal category they took home two high gold and five gold rankings.
Sarah Bombino of West New York won the title of Teen Miss of Access Broadway, and Madeline Novak of Hoboken was named Junior Miss of Access Broadway.
North Bergen resident Sarah Botero won an $80 cash award for her lyrical dance number to “Raggedy Ann.”
The group dance number of “In the Heights” won “most entertaining of the night” and received a cash prize of $150.
“The worked so hard and it’s so rewarding for them, for us, when we see them at the competition and they perform and they do well,” said Garcia.
Title winners
Bombino and Novak won awards for their dance numbers, vocal performances, and monologues. Garcia said that to be considered for the title, a student had to receive a score of 95 or higher.
Bombino, who has appeared on Nickelodeon’s “Kick One, Pick One,” performed a flamenco solo to “Mystic Fire,” sung Mandy Moore’s “Only Hope,” and performed a monologue from the television show “Army Wives.”
“I was really excited before performing, you always get butterflies, but I was really proud of myself.” – Sarah Bombino
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Bombino, 14, said that she matured while preparing her monologue, which takes the perspective of an Iraqi girl explaining her fears and her day-to-day life. She said she appreciates life “so much more now.”
“I was really excited before performing, you always get butterflies, but I was really proud of myself,” said Bombino. “I thought I achieved something I always wanted to.”
Tanya Cruz, a former student herself, is the acting teacher who helped Novak and Bombino as well as other students find appropriate roles for them to perform.
She said she was proud of their performances, and that she can tell they have grown because they are not only good dancers, but have “these faces that are storytelling.”
She explained that when students first step into the classroom they often do not realize how intellectual and complicated acting is. Now they’re familiar with terms like “emotional recall” and have the ability to “build a character,” Cruz said.
Novak, who won the Junior Miss title, performed a flamenco solo number, sang “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and performed a monologue from “The Babysitter.”
Garcia said her solo dance even had forms of Arabic dance in it. Novak admitted that she prefers fancy footwork and different types of “foreign” dance.
“I’m really happy,” said Novak.
For the love of dance
Botero, 11, who won first place for her lyrical number, said she was very content with her performance. Botero and Bombino both won additional scholarship awards and will receive a free workshop at Access Broadway next year.
Botero said her favorite form of dance is jazz.
“It’s more ‘me’ and there are more facial expressions and more kicks and jumps,” said Botero.
Botero also won Junior Miss National New York City in the Dance Educators of America competition last year.
“My teachers, they focus on me a lot,” said Botero. “They help me a lot too. I make a lot of friends here.”
For the community
In many ways, J & L Dance Center has become a small community. While the students take their hours of dance instruction, parents socialize outside. The parents take the students to each competition and class, Garcia said.
“There are a lot of people that have actually come from other schools to come here,” said Carlos Botero, the father of Camilla Botero (no relation to Sarah).
Garcia said the students rely on the commitment of their parents.
Marie Bombino said that her daughter, Sarah, started dancing at age one, and by three was taking every class J & L had to offer. Her daughter’s focus has proven successful all on her own, but Bombino said the school also made an impact.
“I give them a lot of credit,” said Bombino. “They’re fantastic teachers, and it’s also the drive that they give them, the inspiration and the backing. I’m sure it has a lot to do with it.”
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.