Dance World Cup: Worthing dancers help Team England to take the title

A team of 30 dancers from Glendale Theatre Arts took part in the biggest dance competition in the world and won a total of ten medals.

Gold medals went to Leila Grannell in tap solo, Harvey Pearce in boy’s jazz solo and Lisa Bird with Jessie Popkiewicz-Smith in song and dance duet.

Four dancers won silver medals and three bronze. The team also placed in the top six in other sections, gaining further points for Team England, which went on to win the Dance World Cup.

Mandy Chapman, principal of the school, said: “I’m so proud of the whole team. Auditioning and being selected to dance for England is a huge honour and the whole team have been amazing.

“It has been such a challenging time for all of the dance schools and dance teachers, with a lot of the training taking place online, so it has been a huge achievement for us all to pull this together.”

Glendale has been competing at the Dance World Cup since 2011 and senior pupils Lisa Bird and Leila Grannell, both 19, have taken part each time.

Mandy added: “Not only that, but they have also won gold at every one, in different genres. Both girls are now moving on to their next big adventures, with Lisa gaining a place at the prestigious Royal College of Music and Leila, after achieving amazing A-level results in biology, chemistry and history, will be studying neuroscience at the University of Sussex next month.

“Students who also achieve academic success as well as such creative arts successes prove you don’t have to choose between after-school activities and academics.”

The Glendale dancers, aged from 12 to 21, were competing against 120,000 others from 62 different countries. Among their medal haul were two for groups featuring around 28 dancers in each piece.

Glendale has won gold medals at every Dance World Cup it has entered, as well as having items selected for the prestigious Gala Showcase in every year it has competed.