26-03-2025
Fusion Arts Academy celebrates success at IW Music, Dance and Drama Festival
Fusion Arts Academy is celebrating another phenomenal year of achievements at the Isle of Wight Music, Dance and Drama Festival (IWMDDF).
The academy took home an impressive array of awards across solo, duet, group and choreographic categories – and topped it all off with the coveted Festival Trophy for the highest average across all dance sections.
Among the standout successes, Fusion's 21 years and under tap group wowed the judges to secure first place with 90 marks.
21 years and under tap group (Image: Adam Pearson)
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The 14 years and under acro group also claimed first with 89 marks, while the academy's performance of Insomnia in the 14 years and under modern group earned a gold medal and the Laura Symonds Trophy.
The winning 14 years and under acro group (Image: James Hudson Photography)
Young talent Emma Willey had a remarkable festival, securing multiple gold medals, including in the 10 years and under commercial solo, lyrical solo, ballet solo, character solo and musical theatre group categories.
Emma Willey with some of her many awards at the 2025 festival (Image: Contributed)
She was also part of the first-place musical theatre trio/quartet alongside Mary Couzens and Evie Haward.
Emma Willey, Mary Couzens and Evie Haward (Image: Contributed)
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Emma also teamed up with Leana Mendoza to win a silver medal in the 14 years and under musical theatre duet.
Emma Willey and Leana Mendoza (Image: Contributed)
Emma earned a special mention from adjudicator Gayle Johnson in the ballet section and was named Most Promising Ballet Dancer 12 years and under.
She also received a host of special awards, including Highest Mark Ballet and Highest Mark in Character 11 years and under (joint with Lianna Murray), Classical Aggregate Winner 11 years and under, and Stage Aggregate 11 years and under (joint with Paigan Kerridge).
The Fusion Arts Academy team (Image: Contributed)
Fusion Arts Academy also took home the Jack Pattison Shield for Best Young Choreographer, thanks to Maya Szafranska and Evie Haward's self-choreographed commercial duet, which won the modern choreography section with 88 marks.
Maya Szafranska and Evie Haward won the modern choreography section (Image: Contributed)
Group pieces shone throughout the festival, with first place in the 10 years and under musical theatre group for Do Re Mi.
Ten years and under musical theatre group (Image: Contributed)
Gabrielle Potter, Hattie Young and Evie Sharps' rendition of Hard Knock Life from Annie earned second place in the musical theatre trio.
The academy's lyrical group – 21 years and under – took home a silver medal, as did the 14 years and under classical group for The Tramps Ball.
The academy's lyrical group Maya, Evie, Jessica and Carmen (Image: Contributed)
Fusion Arts Academy also secured second place in the 21 years and under modern group category.
The 21 years and under modern group earned second place (Image: James Hudson Photography)
In the duet and trio categories, Emma Willey and Mary Couzens were awarded silver in the 14 years and under ballet duet with 87 marks and later struck gold in the 14 years and under acro duet, which was choreographed by Jo Willey, principal of Fusion Arts Academy.
Emma Willey and Mary Couzens won gold for the acro duet (Image: Contributed)
Their piece was praised by the adjudicator as 'a lovely, lovely, lovely artistic arrangement.'
The academy was also the joint winner of the Miss Janice Fullman Teachers' Trophy for the highest mark in a trio/quartet for Make Him Mine from The Witches of Eastwick, arranged and choreographed by Jo.
Jo said: 'Our academy is doing an incredible job nurturing talent and dedication!
'Winning the Festival Trophy for the second year in a row with such a young and relatively small group of performers highlights not only their hard work but also the high-quality teaching and mentorship they're receiving.
'We only had two young seniors take part and generally danced with only one in our senior groups.'
