PARENTS in Blackbird Leys have been left bursting with pride after a fresh group of talented young people sailed through the ‘Olympics of dance’ and are preparing to head to the world stage.

Eight students from KC’s School of Dance took to the stage at the K2 Arena in Crawley last month for the International Dance Organisation (IDO) UK street dance championships.

All eight including the group’s youngest member, seven-year-old Tyler Pringle, have gone on to qualify for the European finals in Walbrzych, Poland in June, with three also selected to take part in the world championships in Denmark in October.

Principal Kelly Collins said: “I am really chuffed. Right from the start at the UK finals everyone was amazing to watch; it was a treat.”

The IDO represents more than 250,000 dancers across six continents and competition at international finals is fierce.

Last year Kyron Anthony, of Greater Leys, walked away with one of the top titles aged 18.

Ms Collins said: “It’s the Olympics of dance. I am so proud they’ve got this far; it’s about the experience.

“A lot of the kids that I teach are from council estates and have not been fortunate enough to go abroad before, so to have this opportunity, they are winners anyway.”