Stawell's Bonnie Mellor shines bright on stage at Dancestar state competition

Collecting a number of other medals including three seconds and two thirds in a number of different singing, acting and dancing events, the 14-year-old has tipped off what has been a "challenging" year.

The Dancestar competition has a number of levels, first regional, then state and finally onto nationals.

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Miss Mellor said unfortunately because of the border restrictions the national competition was cancelled for the year.

"I'll just have to try again next year and hopefully can get a spot through to nationals again," she said.

"In 2018 I went to nationals and was able to get a third place for my singing.

"I really hope I can make it there again."

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The now state champion has been competing in the event has competing in Dancestar events since 2015.

"I started in group sections and started to love it more and more," she said.

"Every year I kept going back and really enjoyed it.

"It's really different to an eisteddfod."

Miss Mellor said in the categories she competed in she had 20 minutes to learn a dance or a song.

"You come out on stage with a group of girls and you all perform," she said.

"You perform it as many times as the judges want you to. That's where it is really different to eisteddfods.

"We all wear black and all have a number. The judges of course get to know who we are but it is a really level playing field."

Horsham residents could remember Miss Mellor for her role as the Horsham Arts Council's Annie in 2017.

In 2021, Miss Mellor will move from her hometown in Stawell to Ballarat and become a border at Ballarat Grammar under a performing arts scholarship.

"I met a lot of students who go there when I was part of a show in Ballarat," she said.

"Ballarat Grammar seems like an amazing school and a whole new opportunity for me.

"I've loved dance since I was four years old. I know I do more than eight hours of dance a week with only a few days I don't have anything on."

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Miss Mellor is a dancer at Dynamic Dance in Ararat and has performed in a number of shows in Horsham and Ballarat.

In 2020, she was cast as a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz at Melbourne - cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"This year has been harder," she said. "The teachers have done a really fantastic job with setting up zoom meetings.

"It's been nice to be able to do some stuff at home and Mum and Dad be able to watch me."

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