Eight Southwark youngsters are fundraising across the borough so they can compete at the North American Irish Dance Championships next year, writes Emma Snaith…
The young dancing group aim to raise £10,000 to fly out to Orlando for the competition in June.
Lexie- Mae O’Sullivan, nine, Maisie Ryan, eleven, Hannah Manners-Cidon, twelve, Leah Macdonald, thirteen, Caitlin Cole, thirteen, Mary-Kate Nealon, fourteen, Nancy Timon, fifteen, and Maria Maddison, eighteen, would all represent the Deborah Whelan Dance School at the week-long event.
The North American Irish Dance Championships have been running since 1980 and attract more than 4,000 Irish dancers from across the world. To prepare for high profile competition the young dancers have been training for five days a week, at classes lasting two to four hours at a time.
So far the Deborah Whelan Dance School has raised £700 towards covering the costs of entry fees, travel and accommodation for the competition.
The dance school would like to thank several local companies that have promised to help with fundraising: Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Tesco Surrey Quays, Sainsbury’s Dog Kennel Hill, Asda Charlton, The Blue Bermondsey BID, A&E Elkins and the Joiners Arm pub, Lewisham.
To donate towards the Deborah Whelan Dance School North American Irish Dance Championships trip, visit: www.gofundme.com/deborah-whelan-dance-naids-2018