Wall-to-wall trophies – the spoils from a recent, national dance competition — attest to the competitive might of students who train with Damian Kush, of Richland."I started out at Duquesne University as a business major," said Kush, 31, owner of Elite Dance by Damian, a Marshall Township dance school currently celebrating its 10th anniversary year. The school's students collected two grand championships in the 11 and under and 12 and over age divisions at the Nexstar National Talent Competition on July 2 to 8 in Sandusky, Ohio. "They're one of the top groups in the country," said Nexstar spokesman Gary Leppla. Elite Dance by Damian also won the Federation of Dance Competitions' Studio Excellence Award at the Ohio competition. About 130 students, ages 6 to 18, attend classes at Elite Dance by Damian. Seven instructors offer group and private lessons in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical contemporary and acrobatic dancing. Instructors include Jessica Borowczyk and Kirstie Corso of the Bodiography Contemporary Ballet company. "Damian (Kush) is a lovely man and he is a delight to work with," said Maria Caruso, founding artistic executive director of Bodiography Contemporary Ballet, and director of the dance department at La Roche College. "I auditioned him as a dancer many years ago, prior to the opening of his school, and he was extremely skilled. He is a fine man and runs a wonderful program that supports both technical and artistic growth in young dancers." Caruso said Kush also understands the importance of ballet as the foundation of a proficient, performing artist.The quality of instruction at Elite Dance is "the best in this area," said Ingrid Peet of West View, mother of Averie Peet, 10, who takes classes three days a week at Elite Dance by Damian. The studio offers programs for students who simply want to learn dance techniques as well as students who wish to enter dance competitions. "It's a very positive environment and the kids are taught good sportsmanship," said Ingrid Peet, with high praise for Kush. "He's so good with the kids. He never yells." Parent Sharyn Lipnicky, of Seven Fields, said the studio's instructors "want the kids to be at the highest possible standard." Kush, a graduate of North Allegheny High School, is the son of Maria and Damian Kush Sr. of McCandless. He and wife Courtney, who runs the studio's office, have three children: Nicholas, 10; Nathan, 6 and Lindyn, 5 months. They all spend much time at the studio, located in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse-type building with shock-absorbing floors and 16-foot ceilings in Brush Creek Plaza on Route 19. The dance school relocated to Brush Creek Plaza a year ago after operating out of the current site of Prima Yoga in Cranberry, and the former 42nd Street Studio near the Brush Creek Inn in the Warrendale business district of Marshall.A TV monitor in the school's waiting area allows parents, relatives and friends to watch ongoing lessons and classes in any of the school's three dance studios. "We offer a high level of training for students who potentially have an interest in pursuing a career as a professional dancer, teacher or choreographer," said Kush. "Lyrical contemporary (dancing) is probably the strength of our studio." Kush, a dancer since childhood, first followed an older sister to the Laura Lynn School of Dance in Richland. He also did gymnastics. "My sister grew up dancing. I was always at the studio," Kush said. "I have five cousins —all girls – who all danced. It was kind of a family thing that everybody did together. "Kush then trained with Marie Lynn Varchulik, formerly of Canonsburg, and now a director of the Dance U.S.A. Performing Arts Championships and the American Dance Company, based in Las Vegas, Nev.Kush also took dance classes at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Point Park University before receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in performing arts from La Roche College, where he majored in dance and minored in business.While attending La Roche, Kush taught dance at the former 42nd Street Studio in Marshall. That's where Kush launched Elite Dance by Damian, when the previous owner decided to sell the business. As a high school senior, Kush considered becoming a professional dancer. "My instructors were trying to encourage me to not go to college right away and to try to pursue dancing professionally," Kush said. "My dad wasn't for that at all. He was very supportive of me dancing as I was growing up, but felt that ultimately my education was going to be most valuable down the line."

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