Eyer Middle School hosted a showcase of performances by dance teams from area studios, academies and schools recently.

The dance teams came from Allegro Dance Studio, East Coast Dance Connection, Performing Arts Center of the Lehigh Valley, Dance Fusion Performing Arts Studio, Muhlenberg Community Dance Center, Liberty High School Dance Team, William Allen High School Studio Dance Academy, Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts, Steps in Time, Xcape Dance Studio, That’s Dancin! School of Dance, Southern Lehigh High School Dance Team and the Emmaus High School Dance Team.

The annual showcase raises money for various causes.

The year’s performance helped Amanda Baker. Baker is a junior at Emmaus High School and has mitochondrial disease. She has been suffering from the gastrointestinal symptoms of the disease for 10 years. Her condition was difficult to diagnose as it is such a rare disease. Less than 20,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States a year.

During the event Amanda Baker and her father Tom spoke about the impact of the disease on their family. A goal of the dance event was to also raise awareness about the disease.

The Emmaus High School dance team includes 21 students. An annual recital will be performed in April.

This year the team received a bid to the National Dance Team Championship in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The team competed against other schools in the nation.