(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon is an eighth grade student at Ohio Virtual Academy. She loves dance and wants to become a choreographer after she graduates high school.

BELPRE — Since taking up dance at the age of 3, Averi Brannon has won a number of awards in national and regional competitions.

Brannon, of Belpre, is a straight A eighth grade student at the Ohio Virtual Academy. In addition to her studies, she trains 10 hours per week for dance. She has been enrolled there since the fourth grade.

“My mom decided to put me in a dance class,” she said. “And, I have loved it ever since.”

Brannon said she sees herself pursuing a career in dance or a dance-related field.

“I’d really like to choreograph one day at a convention,” she said.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon, attended the New York City Dance Alliance Nationals this past summer. She was selected as one of the top 60 National Teen Outstanding Dancers from across the country. Each dancer has to audition in various genres and compete in a solo performance. Brannon, right, is pictured with fellow dancers Kaity Ross, left and Callie Yoak, middle.

As for her favorite type of dance, she said she has many.

“I really, really enjoy all styles, but my favorite is probably lyrical,” she said. “I just feel like the most in my element when I’m doing lyrical.

“I feel like it’s very ballet-based just with a little bit of contemporary movement mixed in.”

She joined the competitive team at the studio, Performing Arts, Connection and Education, or PACE, in Belpre. At the age of 4 she joined the competitive company and since then she has been to several competitions and has won awards in a group and as an individual.

“My favorite part of these competitions is going out and competing on stage. I think it’s always cool to showcase what you’ve been working on throughout the year,” she said. “But I also really enjoy getting to spend time with my friends at these competitions, because some of them I’ve been dancing with since I was 3 or 4, and some of them I’ve grown close with in the past few years, but it’s always really cool.”

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon performed her solo, "Be Silent" at the New York City Dance Alliance Nationals this past summer. She placed 30th against 300-plus teen soloists from across the country. Choreographer was Jackie Hovis.

Brannon said in the team competition they were placed in different styles.

“I usually compete in a solo every year that is contemporary, lyrical or jazz,”she said. “We also do the ‘Nutcracker’ at our studio, and it’s been something we’ve been doing for a few years.”

She added she will get the role she has been looking forward to dancing.

“This year, my role is the Sugar Plum Fairy,” she said.

Auditions were required for the role and she said she was excited about her chances. Over the past three years she said she has danced the roles of the Russian, Snow Princess and Fritz.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon performing her jazz solo, "Debut"; choreographed by Gillian Wanosky Cappadona. Averi loves taking dance in various styles including lyrical, jazz, contemporary, ballet and pointe.

“We travel to festivals during the year as well the West Virginia dance festivals, and perform.,” she said. “So that’s definitely for our ballet classes. But as far as competition, we travel to three or four competitions throughout the year, and one to three conventions.

“This past summer, we went to the nationals in New York and I placed 30th out of 300,” she said.

Brannon said those competitions are in Ohio or West Virginia, usually within three hours from Belpre. They have gone to Pittsburgh and sometimes Columbus or Charleston, but the nationals are in New York City.

Being a student at the Ohio Virtual Academy makes going to competitions easier because they have a flexible schedule, she said.

Brannon added that is her favorite dance memory to date, and that was one that really stuck out to her. She has also won a lot of technique awards. She said has been very dedicated to taking ballet, because that’s where technique comes from.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon demonstrating a combination, in the teen room, at the regional New York City Dance Alliance in Pittsburgh, PA.

“They have live instructors and a class schedule,” she said of the academy. “There’s kids in the class, so it’s like in-person school, except you’re at home, I guess.”

She said going to a virtual school helped her focus more, and it allows her more time for spending time with family.

“I also feel like I can dance more because my schedule is a bit more flexible,” she said. “So it’s somewhat flexible, because if I have a doctor’s appointment, I can get that note and I can just come back and watch my class recording. If needed, you have the option to attend a class later by watching a recording of it.

“That’s very helpful, because also typically competitions for dance, sometimes on Fridays, so I can come back and do my work on Sunday. If I have a class where I don’t understand the lecture at first I can watch the whole lecture.”

During the COVID lockdown, Brannon picked up sewing as a hobby and now sees it as a potential future career. She thought it would be a short term thing, but has grown to like it.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon performing her solo, "Pulled Apart"; choreographed by Savannah Cobb. She received 1st Place Overall in the Junior Division and received a Technical Excellence Award.

“I like sewing. I like to make my own dance wear so potentially I’d love to one day have my own dance wear business,” she said. “I make dance wear for my classes. So I really don’t know how many I’ve made, but probably a lot.”

Brannon said sewing eased the boredom she felt.

“Sewing was definitely something I taught myself,” she said. “I just have really enjoyed sewing ever since. I have never tried a sewing machine, but I like doing it by hand.”

She used the internet to learn how to sew.

“I definitely looked up a lot of videos on YouTube on how to do it,” she said. “Mom actually helped me a little bit with different techniques on how to sew.”

It is also helpful in her dance.

“Whenever we’re doing point, we have to sew our own shoes,” she said. “It’s helpful that I already know how to do it. They come as the shoe, but we have to do some work in order to make it fit properly on the front of the foot, you have to sew your own elastic on it.”

Looking ahead, “I really haven’t decided yet about college specifically, but I know in the future, I definitely want to choreograph and teach dance, I haven’t decided on a college yet though,” Brannon said.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon performing her solo, "Fearless"; choreographed by Lindsey Florence. She was five years old in this photo.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon performing "Giselle" at the PACE Ballet Showcase.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon and her siblings, Emily and Lucas, on their first day of school this year.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon attended MADI (Mid-Atlantic Dance Initiative) for the first time this summer. She won a $500 cash scholarship for her first place solo, entitled, "Be Silent" by Jackie Hovis.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon, left, performed Pas de Trois at the West Virginia Dance Festival alongside two of her best friends and fellow dancers, Madison Lowers, middle, and Ellie Wootton, right.

(Submitted photo) Averi Brannon enjoys performing each year in her studio's dance recital. This piece, "Bamboleo," choreographed by Morgan Parsons, is one of her favorite recital pieces.