Last updated 19:29, Thursday, 27 November 2008

YOUNGSTERS led by Workington’s Luke Wilkinson danced their socks off for a national competition.

About 100 dancers from the Cowper School of Dance performed tap, acrobatics, and song and dance at the Association of American Dancing competition in Blackpool on Sunday.

Adrienne Kelly, principal at the dance school, said the youngsters had been practising since August.

The Cowper School of Dance had entrants in the baby, junior and senior categories in a national contest at the Opera House, Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

The school achieved third and fourth in the baby section, sixth and seventh in the junior section, and third and sixth place in the senior section.

They rehearsed at Whitehaven’s civic hall in preparation for the contest against competitors from around the country.

The juniors performed Flash Bang Wallop and did a rendition of Hairspray, with Luke Wilkinson fronting both performances.

The group will be showcasing their dances at the Carnegie Theatre, Finkle Street, Workington on December 14.

The Maria Frances School of Dance took 87 dancers, aged between five and 27, to compete at Blackpool.

The school has dancers from all over the county, who have met in Cockermouth every Saturday for the past few months to practise.

The school’s baby troupe performed Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the juniors performed Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and the seniors performed two numbers, Two Worlds and Wicked.

Wicked was awarded fourth place and Two Worlds was awarded first place and the dancers became AAD national champions.