Bill Riley Talent Search 8.12.22

Six talented Sprout division acts (ages 2-12) and five Senior division acts (ages 13-21) have advanced to the semi-final round in Bill Riley's 62nd annual Iowa State Fair Talent Search. Each act will perform again on Thursday, August 18, Friday, August 19 or Saturday, August 20.

The names, ages, hometowns and routines of the sprouts acts are:

Michael Smith, 11, Vocal Solo; Waterloo

Rocco Slaughter, 10, Dance Solo; Clive

Adrian Rusch, 13, Piano Solo; Cedar Falls

Catie Christenson, 12, Dance Solo, Urbandale

Morrigan Elliot, 11, Tap Solo; Burlington

Aria Telander, 8, Dance Solo; Grimes

The names, ages, hometowns and routines of the senior acts are:

Savannah Song, 13, Violin Solo; Windsor Heights

Aleesha Smith, 14, Vocal Solo; Waterloo

Allison Bovy, 13, Vocal Solo; Jesup

David Michael Negley, 17, Vocal Solo; Winterset

Nelley Pelzer, 13, Atlantic; James Brown, 16, Exira; Kylie Templeton, 15, Atlantic; Drayce Moore, 15, Atlantic; Clogging Quartet

The Bill Riley Talent Search has put Iowa's young talent on stages across the state each summer since 1960. Acts competed statewide to qualify for competition in this year's Talent Search, where there are seven days of preliminary competition for Sprouts (ages 2-12) and Seniors (ages 13-21), followed by the semi-finals and, ultimately, the selection of one Senior Champion. The Sprouts do not compete beyond the semi-finals, but perform in the Championship Show as Sprout Champions, set for Sunday, August 21 at 1:30 p.m. on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage sponsored by Pepsi and media sponsor iHeart Radio.

More than $20,000 will be awarded to the Senior and Sprout divisions combined. The Bill Riley Talent Search is presented by Meta.