From Mill Hall to New Jersey: Haven Performing Arts Teams Triumph at TIA Atlantic Coast Championships
By Emily Wright
MILL HALL— The youthful stars of Haven Performing Arts have once again left their mark on one of the most prestigious indoor performance stages. At the 53rd Tournament Indoor Association (TIA) Atlantic Coast Championships in Wildwood, N.J., held May 1-4, 42 talented performers from Haven Performing Arts returned home victorious, earning top honors and unforgettable memories along the way.
The annual TIA Atlantic Coast Championships is a prestigious competition that brings together leading indoor performing arts groups. The event features a wide range of ensembles—including color guards, percussion units, twirlers, dance teams, and majorettes—from across the nation. Showcasing both dedication and talent, participants perform complex and creative routines before panels of expert judges and enthusiastic audiences, reflecting months of hard work and artistic development.
Haven Performing Arts was founded over a decade ago by Barbara and her late husband Dick Forshey. The private performance group is now led by President Barbara Forshey and Vice President Dana Marino, welcoming young dancers and twirlers from ages five to 18.
Haven Performing Arts fields four competitive teams: Cadet Twirl, Junior Dance, Novice Twirl, and Regional A Dance. According to Coach Megan Marino, this year’s Atlantic Coast Championships were the culmination of months of dedication, with each team performing a single, carefully crafted routine that they began to rehearse on October 1, 2024.
The Junior Dance Team soared above the competition, earning first place overall in addition to achieving the coveted title of 2025 Atlantic Coast Junior Dance Champions. Their performance, set to the song “Hallelujah,” demonstrated an emotional theme of loss and remembrance, resonating deeply with audiences and judges alike. They were awarded gold medals and a banner for their captivating performance at the Atlantic Coast Championships this year.
The Novice Twirlers achieved a strong 2nd place finish amongst fierce competitors with their imaginative routine titled “Turn to Stone,” integrating dazzling props, storytelling, and a dramatic finale.
The youngest competitors, the Cadet Twirl Team, wowed judges with a high-energy number called “WERK,” set to RuPaul’s anthem “Supermodel” and Big Boss Vette’s “Pretty Girls Walk.” Their sparkling energy was rewarded with Gold Placement— the highest possible distinction in their division.
The senior-most dancers at Haven Performing Arts, the Regional A Dance Team coached by Megan Marino, Rachael Hanley, and Erin Hearn, competed against some of the most seasoned teams in the nation. Haven’s Regional A dancers performed a routine titled “I Don’t Want To Know,” a touching tribute to senior year as a dancer and the bittersweet farewell to fellow dance teammates that follows. Their emotional journey advanced them to the finals and secured the team a 3rd place finish overall.
Preparation for the TIA Championship is no small feat. Coach Marino explained that the season concludes each year with the TIA Atlantic Coast Championships in Wildwood, N.J., in May, but the teams continue to practice over the summer to keep their bodies moving, gain new skills, or work on their current skills between seasons. In October each year, the Haven Performing Arts team’s practices shift to focusing on perfecting each team’s routine, which they perform at competitions leading up to the championships in Wildwood.
In addition to Haven Performing Arts’ core staff, the organization’s coaching roster includes Leah Kline and Avery Raab (Cadet Twirl), Jade Stasko and Courtney Rager (Junior Dance), Marissa Allen and Hailey Engle (Novice Twirl), along with Megan Marino, Rachael Hanley, and Erin Hearn (Regional A Dance).
The Record spoke with Coach Megan Marino, who started dancing on competitive teams when she was nine years old, initially on teams that were affiliated with Central Mountain (CM), including Haven Performing Arts. When Haven Performing Arts branched off from CM, she continued to dance with the team until she became a coach at age 18. This year marked her fourth year as a coach.
In addition to coaching dance at Haven Performing Arts, Marino also teaches dance at Twinkle Toes Dance Studio in Beech Creek. She teaches lyrical, jazz, tap, and ballet, among other styles of dance.
This year, the victories of Haven Performing Arts teams were celebrated on a grand scale when they returned home. Thanks to the efforts of Brock Brungard, the team received a hero’s welcome with a community parade. Fire trucks from Avis Fire Company, Goodwill Hose Co. Station 7 in Flemington, Lock Haven Fire Department (Citizens Hose Company and Eastside Fire Rescue), Lamar Township Volunteer Fire Company, Beech Creek-Blanchard Volunteer Fire Company, and Dunnstown Fire Company lit up the streets of Lock Haven to honor the performers’ achievements.
The organization extends heartfelt thanks to 2025 sponsors including Weis Markets in Lock Haven and Mill Hall, JC Forestree, RTG Solutions, KBR Bingo, Clinton Lanes, Carpet Exchange LLC, and Service Master Clean of Bellefonte for supporting local youth arts, and they’d also like to thank the fire companies that participated in the spirited welcome home parade the Haven Performing Arts teams received when they returned home.
Parents of youth interested in joining Haven Performing Arts can register at the group’s headquarters, Level Up Hoops, located at 305 Beech Creek Avenue in Mill Hall, on any of the four upcoming dates: June 2, July 7, August 4, or September 8, 2025, from from 5-7:00 p.m. More information and updates can be found on Facebook by searching “Haven Performing Arts”, or by contacting President Barbara Forshey rforshey4@hotmail.com or Vice President Dana Marino dsmarino@hotmail.com.
