LYNN — Nora Pawl said she wants to be a Radio City Rockette someday, but as of now, she is bringing pride to the city as Junior Miss Dance of New England.
Pawl claimed the title in the Dance Masters of New England competition in March, earning recognition from Mayor Jared Nicholson and the City Council last week.
The Dance Masters competition brings together competitive dancers across the region to test skills across all dance disciplines and techniques.
Pawl won with a contemporary solo to the Beatles song “Here comes the sun,” choreographed by Kristina Simopoulas.
“I really like this song because it just shows that after a day of sadness or hard work that hasn’t paid off, something more is coming,” Pawl said.
Ever since she could walk Pawl has been dancing with Paula Terenzi’s dance school in Malden and has danced competitively since she was 5 years old.
Pawl lives in Pine Hill Lynn and is a rising 7th grader at St. Mary’s school.
Pawl said she tried other sports, but she was inspired to stick with dance because of how friendly her classmates at Terenzi’s school were. “I always looked up to the older girls,” she said. “They helped me realize how creative dance can be.”
The Miss Dance of New England competition was her first time competing on this level and she said she was “shocked” to bring home the title.
“I was very proud of myself. Because I’ve worked very hard for what I won,” she added.
Pawl’s win came with a $2,000 scholarship and the opportunity to compete at the national level at Miss Dance America in June. During this 10 day competition, she joined Miss Teen Dance of New England and Miss Dance of New England, who both dance with Terenzi’s school in California.
Though Pawl did not bring home the national title, she said she had a blast exploring the west coast for the first time with her friends, and also won a $100 tap dance scholarship.
She added she enjoyed the experience of learning from teachers around the country who taught convention classes.
Pawl said her goal to audition for the Rockettes began when she saw a show in New York with her school when she was 5 years old and has been inspired ever since.
“I was on the edge of my seat the whole time,” she said. “It was so exciting. And I would love to audition for it.”
Pawl said she trains at Terenzi’s school five days a week from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., taking three classes a day in different styles of dance.
“It’s very long hours,” she said. “But it’s actually very easy with school because dance has taught me about time management.”
Nora’s mother, Jocelyn Pawl also grew up dancing at Paula Terenzi’s school, and she said it is amazing to see the friends her daughter has made through dance and how her love for the craft continues to grow.
“The opportunities that she has are just amazing.”
Terenzi said the Dance Masters competition is the most prestigious competition the studio competes in and she is proud of Pawl.
She added, she was happy to see Pawl “come out of her shell” during the past couple of years and recognize her own talent.
“She’s being recognized on a national level, which I think is great, and I think that will give her a little boost to go even further as she continues her career in dance,” Terenzi said.
Terenzi said her studio is about to celebrate its 40th recital and that she has had students become NFL Cheerleaders and Broadway dancers.
Pawl will hold the title of Miss Dance of New England until she passes it onto the next winner during a ceremony next year in which she will give a speech, and perform a dance.
During the year she holds the title, she will be ineligible to compete in the Miss Dance competition, but she will help teammates learn routines.
“Dance is just so important in my life and I hope to keep doing it,” Pawl said.
