Under 35 winners, Bradley Taylor and Harriet Adamson. Photograph courtesy of Simon Smith.
A BRIGHOUSE DANCE squad secured a place in the national finals of the Supadance League after a series of winning performances on Sunday.
The team from Kirsty Marshall’s Academy of Dance competed in the regional qualifiers in Stoke, and came home with multiple first and second place awards.
The Supadance League is different to the more well-known IDTA competitions, as it gives dance schools the opportunity to compete as a team, rather than individually.
Lucy Haseldine, 16, has been a pupil at KMAD for six years and got to three of four finals with friend Holly Stoker. She said: “It’s great competing for your own success, but there’s a different kind of excitement when you are dancing as a team with your friends.”
Lucy’s mother, Angela Wilson, said: “Two of my children dance at Kirsty’s school. There is a real community feel at KMAD which is inviting for both pupils and parents.
“Kirsty holds classes for all ages and abilities, meaning that anyone can have a go trying out something new.”
Bradley Taylor and Harriet Adamson won all four of their Ballroom and Latin events in the U35s category. The KMAD team also bagged first place in the juvenile team match, and two juvenile Latin events.
Bradley, 16, said: “Everyone danced amazingly this weekend. Kirsty dedicates so much time and effort to the school. I’m so excited to see what happens at the finals next month.”
The dance school, which was founded by Kirsty Marshall in 2011, has had a long streak of successes in both regional and national competitions.
Kirsty Marshall, said: “We arrived to a much smaller dance floor than we are used to, meaning everyone had to make last minute changes to the rehearsed routines.”
Although the team were up against these challenging odds, Kirsty said the students “reassured each other”, and that it turned out to be a “great way to practice floor craft.”
KMAD will now travel to Blackpool for the national finals in November, which will be held at The Norbreck.
Brilliant !!