Dance event is success (From Stroud News and Journal)

Dance event is success

TEENAGE dancers from Stonehouse beat dozens of other young movers to win a festival organised by a Gloucestershire charity.

The town's Jaye Marshall and Carla Chew, both 13, won the senior pairs contest at this year's Young Gloucestershire Dance event and will now go through to the regional finals.

Steps Dance Club from Stonehouse also took part in the county-wide contest which saw over 140 youngsters aged from nine to 19 competing for a title.

Dozens of young dancers showed off their fancy footwork and dazzling costumes at the festival organised by a Gloucestershire charity.

Young Gloucestershire, part of the Prince's Trust, stages the annual event for dance-mad children and teenagers from all corners of the county.

Last year's winners the Stonehouse Youth Club and the Coady Crew went on to represent Gloucestershire in the finals of Youth Club UK's Dance For All event, taking top prizes in the Pairs and Team categories.

Organiser Jackie McKenzie of the charity's youth development team said: "The event attracts all types of dance from street styles to disco, folk and majorette.

"It always has a fantastic atmosphere and the emphasis is on having fun, sharing skills, learning new moves and performing in front of an appreciative audience."

To help groups prepare, the youth team joined forces with Nikki Coady from the Coady Crew to offer free workshops to contestants.

The event took place in early December at Montells nightclub in Tewkesbury.