Salford teenagers set for stardom at Dance World Cup

Five rising dance stars will be heading to Spain this summer to represent England in the prestigious Dance World Cup.

Salford teenagers Kerys Tough, Emily Eyre, Kerys Fairhurst, Ella Fairhurst and Leah Edwards, from the Weaste, Langworthy and Walkden areas of Salford, will strut their stuff amongst 12,000 other competitors from 47 countries around the world.

The girls, all aged between 14 and 16, will be competing in the ACRO dance genre, which combines classical dance with acrobatic techniques.

The girls must raise £4,000 to fund their dream trip, and are being helped on their way by Salix Homes, which has donated £1,200 as part of ourSpringboard community fund.

Dance teacher Jade Munro, who trains the girls alongside colleague Stephanie Mellor, said: “The girls dedicate so much time to dancing and have organised all sorts of things to raise money for the trip from bake sales to fundraising events, so this donation from Salix Homes will help them on their way and enable them to purchase the all-important competition outfits.

“They are all incredibly talented. We’ve been entering them into competitions for a while now, and they’ve had a real winning streak, but the Dance World Cup is a real step up. We entered on a whim, not really expecting to get in, so the fact that they’ve reached this stage is real proof of their commitment.”

Jeanette Green, neighbourhood manager for Salix Homes, added: “These aspiring dancers are a real credit to Salford, and Salix Homes is very proud to be able to help them realise their dreams and dance on the world stage.

“Their commitment is truly extraordinary and we will be eagerly rooting for them when the competition comes around in June.”

Since launching last year, Salix Homes has donated more than £50,000 to local groups and projects in Salford as part of its Springboard scheme, which supports local groups and projects that boost community spirit, promote health and wellbeing, reduce isolation or improve the environment.

Apply for a Springboard grant for your project now.