A BARNSLEY dance school is celebrating after finishing runners-up in a Europe-wide competition.
JL Dance Company, based on Summer Lane, is led by principals Jo Hillen and Lucy Tindle.
Earlier in this year, the company were nominated by the International Dancer Teaching Association (IDTA) examiner for their musical theatre exam.
Both Jo and Lucy then submitted their video to the IDTA who then told the school they had been shortlisted as one of just six schools from across the UK and Europe to take part at the musical theatre awards in Blackpool.
They finished as the runners-up in their category – and Jaine Oughton, whose daughter Amelia Howson attends the school, said the youngsters did Barnsley proud.
She added: “The students at JL Dance Company took part and gave a most exceptionally outstanding and entertaining performance and came runners-up in a very strong category selected by the IDTA.
“This is a massive achievement and it was an honour to be selected to take part in this event by everyone involved.
“Their production was ‘it’s a hard knock life’ from the musical Annie.”
The performers on the day were 12-year-old Amelia, Mollie Milner, Alicia Lines, Francesca and Darcy Hall, Lucy Duke, Taylor Smith, Emilia Waddington, Lollie Casimir, Max Taylor, Frankie Pounder-Cooke and Ella Ainley.
