Local girl and partner win big in Genesee County Fair talent competition

By Sara Smith
Posted Thursday, August 21, 2008

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By Sara L. Smith
VIEW Staff Writer

GRAND BLANC TWP. — A local girl has won big in a Genesee County talent competition.

Francesca Abusamura, 10, of Grand Blanc Township and her dance partner Christin Cameron, 12, of Flint Township, recently won first place in a talent competition at the Genesee County Fair. The pair took first place out of a field of 27 competitors.

The pair claimed first prize by dancing the Irish Leahy Jig, a fusion of the popular Irish Jig and contemporary dance, combined with a bit of ballet thrown in for good measure. The girls will now share a $1,000 savings bond and a trophy handed out on Aug. 12.

As a result of their impressive win, the pair was asked to perform as the opening act for country music star Phil Vassar last Friday. The duo once again took to the stage, performing their Irish Leahy Jig in front of an audience of thousands last Friday night.

The girls won first place after competing in the talent competition’s junior division (ages 6-12) and later captured the top prize again after going head to head with the winner of the senior division (ages 13-18), an 18 year-old singer.

The runner-up proved to be stiff competition, having already earned a college scholarship for music.

“The winner of the senior division was very talented,” said Francesca’s mother, Melanie Hartman.
“The girls did great.”

A multitude of acts, including gymnastics, singing and dancing were performed throughout the two divisions.

The pair danced the jig in the junior division competition, but opted to perform a selection from the ballet Swan Lake for the overall competition. They were judged using a point system, based on costumes, showmanship, talent, and overall audience reaction to the performance.

As for stage fright or pre-show jitters, there were apparently few, if any, says Hartman. She indicated both girls were extremely professional and didn’t seem to hesitate once they stepped on stage.

Performing in front of an audience is old hat to the girls, who study dance together at Paavola School of Dance in Flint. They regularly perform in front of large crowds of 400-500 people as part of the Young People’s Ballet Theatre, and often in front of audiences for ballet recitals at University of Michigan-Flint.

“We weren’t nervous, we’ve done it so many times,” Francesca said. “We’ve both been on stage a lot and we just had fun.”

Francesca says that she only had a few butterflies, but that overall, it was a great experience for herself and Christin. She also mentioned that she and Christin didn’t expect to win, but were thrilled with the outcome.

For Francesca, dance is more than a hobby.

“It’s a way to express myself,” she said.

She says that she may likely continue to study dance later as an adult, though she’s keeping her options open. She also enjoys other creative endeavors, including art projects, some of which she also entered, along with Christin, in the Genesee County Fair in other divisions.

Francesca also is accomplished on the piano and violin as well. She played the violin as a solo act during the fair’s junior division talent competition.

While winning was a thrill, Francesca’s family got an earlier rush that day after they attended a friend’s wedding only hours earlier and had to make haste in order to get to the fair on time.

Francesca even had to change into her costume — Christin’s family helped make outfits — while in the car.