Swindon dance students qualify for dance world cup

By Jessica Durston - 13 March 2023

Clubs & ActivitiesCommunity

A group of talented youngsters from a Swindon dance school have secured their place in the ‘Olympics of Dance’ in Portugal this summer.

The Dance World Cup takes place in the Portuguese city of Braga, with 20,000 dancers from 62 countries coming together to compete with the very best dancers.
 
After a highly competitive selection process, 25 students from the Swindon Academy of Dance have been chosen to represent England at the event.

Only four out of up to 100 entries are chosen to represent Team England in each category, including ballet, tap, national dances and musical theatre. The school - based mainly at the Wilkes Academy - has been selected in multiple genres including solos, trios and groups.

The students, aged between 10 - 18, will leave for a week in Portugal at the end of June.

School Principal, Sarah Watson, said: “It’s a trip of a lifetime for our students, and we’re so proud of them all. They’ve done incredibly well to qualify, and the opportunity to show their talent and compete at a global level is something we’re all so excited about.”

Evie Cowling, one of the students said: “I can’t wait. We take part in festivals and competitions around the UK, but I’ve always dreamed of qualifying for the Dance World Cup. We’re all working extra hard to give ourselves the best chance and do our country proud!”

With so many children going on the trip, the school are fundraising to pay for equipment, costumes and entry fees.

Their Gofundme page has so far raised over £2,500 from local businesses and individuals, including a generous donation from local dancewear specialists Pointe Perfection.

Now the team are holding a Dance World Cup and Competition Showcase where local people will be able to see the students perform their World Cup dances ahead of the trip.

The event takes place at C6 Commonweal School on Thursday 27 April at 7pm, and tickets (£10 each) can be reserved by emailing [email protected]

The Swindon Academy of Dance's GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/swindon-academy-of-dance

More information about the academy can be found on its website at: https://swindonacademyofdance.co.uk/

Your Comments

Be the first to comment on this article

Login or Register to post a comment on this article

Subscribe to The Link

Registered in England & Wales. No: 4513027, Positive Media Group, Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon, SN1 4BJ