CFNN Reporters: Kaydin Brown and Kennedi Brown

All County is a prestigious event for all arts here at Cape Fear. However, for the dance program, it’s the most distinguished. To be a part of All-County dance, you must be enrolled in a dance class either fall or spring semester and an upstanding student of your high school. This event is a piece that is choreographed by a credible professional dancer and performed at the CCS Spring concert at the Crown Auditorium.

Cape Fear is home to one of the most top notch dance programs in the county, all thanks to dance teacher Kerry Brown, who has truly elevated the program. She continuously works with the dancers on their technique and encourages them to be the best version of themselves. This gives each dancer the confidence to audition for the prestigious program that is All County Dance.  

Every dancer who auditions learns a combination from the esteemed choreographer that’s picked for the year and then auditions said combination for the choreographer and every high school dance teacher in the county. The choreographer is allowed to pick a top ten, the ten dancers she felt were the most well rounded with an amazing dance ability. From there, each high school is allowed to have two dancers chosen to be a part of the All County piece. 

For the 2025 All County, 35 dancers were selected from all over the county to be a part of this piece. This year Cape Fear presented 7 dancers at auditions, and 5 were chosen. Furthermore, all 5 dancers that made it were picked to be in the top ten, making up half of the choreographer’s choice. The dancers selected from Cape Fear were Kaydin Brown, Kennedi Brown, Rachel Leonard, Aubrey Autry, and Kaylee Guzman. Senior Kaydin Brown is returning for her fourth and final year, she was the first and only All County dancer from Cape Fear in 2022 for her freshman year. Kennedi Brown and Leonard are returning for their third year. Autry is returning for her second year, and it’s Guzman’s first and last year being selected for All County Dance. 

“I am honored to say this year is my 3rd year participating in All County Dance! I feel like I’ve grown tremendously as a dancer after experiencing the process each year. Having the opportunity to learn from a guest choreographer with other amazing dancers from throughout the county is truly like no other,” exclaimed junior Rachel Leonard. “While clinics and the rehearsals leading up to our performance are a long process, it is absolutely worth it to see our performance pieces come to life on the stage. The growth and bonds I have gained through All County Dance is definitely one of my favorite memories from high school!” 

Senior Kaylee Guzman is eagerly anticipating the rest of the All County experience. The message of the piece they are spreading truly resonates with Guzman as well as all the dancers. She has such a strong love for this artform that is intensifying from this unique experience.

“This year is my senior year and my first time as an All county dancer. I am thrilled for upcoming practices to work with the other dances from all county and continue to work on this beautiful piece that was put together. We are spreading a message of ‘we belong here’. My love for dance has already grown so much as well as my knowledge for dance in only two days of dancing,” first year Guzman says. 

This year, the choreographer for this year’s All County piece is Alexandra Joye Warren. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Performing Arts at Elon University, a  Director/Choreographer for the Music Theatre program, and the Founding Artistic Director of JOYEMOVEMENT. 

Alexandra Joye Warren used her creative talents to set a 5 minute piece on the ACD dancers, sharing the message that you belong somewhere, no matter where it is or where you are, you belong. 

In the duration of two clinic days, totaling in 13 hours, the piece was set on the dancers. It’s a long two days, but at the end of day two you see the final product of what was created and it all makes sense. The long hours may be hard, but creating a piece that makes an impact on the audience makes it all worth it.

The All County dancers will have a couple more practices to clean the piece to get it ready for Spring Evening of Dance. Evening of Dance is an event where every high school in the county comes together to put on a dance showcase. It’s a great event, giving light to the hard work that each dance department gives across Cumberland County. Spring Evening of Dance for 2025 will be held on April 29, at the Crown auditorium. We hope that you come support our dancing colts as they showcase four pieces in addition to the All County Piece. 

We are so proud of our Dancing Colts Kaydin, Kennedi, Aubrey, Kaylee, and Rachel! Thank you for being great representatives of Cape Fear High!