THERE has been plenty to celebrate at Basingstoke Academy of Dancing, with medal wins and successful shows.
Superstar dancers Katy Webber, 17, and Dariana Clima, 15, last week, won gold at the All England Dance Finals for their tap duet.
The dance was choreographed by Gaby White and are both girls are taught Tap by Vanessa Atkins-Clarivette.
Dance school principal, Tanya Schipelbaum said Katy and Dariana are ‘beautiful tappers’, adding: “They performed so well at finals alongside so many other exceptional tappers, we are so pleased and proud that they won gold with 29.3 out of 30.”
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There were also plenty of successes for the academy at the Dance World Cup in Prague earlier in July, with 17 young dancers, 15 older students, including six soloists and two senior groups, taking part in the competition which involved 9,500 competitors from 54 countries.
Although no medals were won, the dancers secured 'some amazing places in very large sections of stunning standards’, including Aidan Strachan who came fourth in the Junior Solo Ballet category.
Dancers from the school have also performed in three ‘huge and successful’ shows, including Lights Camera Dance Juniors and Seniors at The Anvil which included 250 dancers from aged four through to pensioners on Sunday, July 21, and the Moving Experience at The Haymarket with its BAD Company and guests.
Tanya said: “This is one of the biggest set of shows we have undertaken and all our dancers looked fabulous on stage.”
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During The Anvil show, Dariana Clima was awarded the Syd Chapman Memorial Bursary of £500, which will be used to enhance her performing arts career training.
Syd was a dance dad, the academy’s resident photographer and friend. Tanya added: “Syd is sadly missed but this is a great way of celebrating his work ethic and ethos.”
The school also collected £250 at its shows for Victoria's Promise, a charity that helps young women diagnosed with cancer.
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