Shropshire street dancers head for British finals thanks to choir's help
A group of street dancers will have the opportunity to live their dream by competing in a national competition, thanks to a donation by a Shropshire choir.
Newport (Salop) and District Male Voice Choir has donated £600 to Telford-based Blackout Dance Group so they can travel to and enter the UDO British Street Dance Championships in Burnham-on-Sea next March. The talented 16 to 20-year-olds have been practising for the competition and needed to raise £200 each to go.
Choir chairman David Tooth said: "The choir has been going for 70 years based in Newport.
"We heard there was a group of young people 16 to 20 years old who are street dancers based in Telford who have been practising and hoping to attend the national championships.
"They required sponsorship, as we are all old men here we thought it would be such a nice thing to do so we have sponsored them for the whole cost of the trip so they will be able to go to those championships.They were over the moon when we met handed them the cheque."
Blackout founder Levan Peart added: "It was an amazing feeling and we felt very lucky as young people to be given that opportunity, we really had no words we were just really happy.
"The group will now push on and work towards the competition and we are training weekly and getting on with our routine.
"I was quite astonished by the donation because I thought that street dance is often perceived in a bad way and I was surprised because it was a group of people older than us who saw it how it really is which is fun, social and helps the young people in the community.
"We have been to the national championships before and came first in the under 18 beginners last year and have moved up to over 18 novice this year so it will be tough. We are very confident this year, people are working very hard in rehearsals to make sure we are all prepared.
Mr Peart, 19, of Telford, formed the group – which trains every Friday at TCAT – last year.
He said: "I did not really feel like there was enough going on in Telford for the younger generation."
Telford & Wrekin Councillor Eric Carter handed over the cheque. He said: "It is a very good little cause to help people who do not have the finances themselves."
