A MUSSELBURGH-BASED dance company has enjoyed award success as the teams headed to the British and Scottish Championships.

LCDC/Dancercise CIC, run by Louise Collie, qualified for the British Dance Festival in Blackpool, and the Scottish Championships in Glasgow, with five squad teams, and dancers ranging from the age of three to adult.

Forty-nine dancers and 54 parents travelled by rail and road to Blackpool. The teams competed in the Winter Gardens, both in the conference centre and in the Blackpool Royal Opera House.

“The experience was huge for the teams,” said Louise, who added: "We brought home a British Championship title and many more trophies."

Evolve (over-18) were winners in musical theatre, runners-up in jazz and placed fifth for commercial and lyrical. Ivanna Reid, aged five, was runner-up in hip hop solo and, along with Eden Godsell, aged six, was placed third and sixth in musical theatre and lyrical respectively. Shining Stars (under-eight) were runners-up in jazz, lyrical, commercial, and musical theatre. Shooting Stars (under-12) placed sixth in jazz and third in musical theatre. Starstruck (under-14) placed fifth in musical theatre, and Rising Stars (under-16), despite dancing well, did not place but supported all the other dancers and displayed strong sportsmanship skills.

The dancers competed in the Scottish Championships at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.

Louise said: "We left feeling very successful, with our Starstruck and Evolve teams becoming Scottish champions.”

She added: "Our newly formed parents’ team, Raising Stars, were placed third out of nine teams.

“We were blessed to receive five awards in duos, with Charlotte Cannon, aged five, and Molly Lewis, aged four, becoming Scottish under-six duo lyrical champions.

"Sienna MacDonald, aged four, and Ruby Dick, aged five, placed third in under-six lyrical duos.

"Alfie Kempsell, aged eight, and Amelia Reid, aged seven, placed fourth in under-eight musical theatre duo.

“Grace Pattie, aged 12, was awarded fourth place out of 120 dancers, and with her partner Isla Ridley, aged 11, they were placed fourth in the lyrical duos."

Tiny Stars were second in commercial, third in musical theatre and fourth in both lyrical and hip hop.

Louise said: "Shooting Stars danced extremely well, in a large category, and pushed themselves well beyond their limits. Starstruck not only became Scottish lyrical champions but they also placed fifth in commercial and were runners-up in musical theatre.

"Rising Stars gained third place in lyrical, fourth place in musical theatre and sixth place in hip hop.

"Evolve, who performed for the last time as their current team, not only came home with musical theatre and hip-hop championship title, but they were also runners-up in commercial and third place in lyrical.

"This dance was very emotional as they dedicated it to my mum, who is recovering from a stroke."

That’s Showbiz was held at Musselburgh Grammar School and awards were won across the teams. Tiny Stars were fifth overall, Starpower were first in hip hop and fourth overall for modern, Starquest won first place for their open Latin dance, and Starstruck were awarded first place in lyrical. Eclipse, the older team, won lyrical, were fourth in modern and were third overall.

Paying tribute to Lauren Robertson, Ellie Craig, Meaghan Robertson and Caitlin Baird, Louise said: "We are very lucky at LCDC to have a versatile and experienced staff who rise to the challenge."

At the start of the year, 122 dancers from the dance company sat exams and medals in the studio, with a 100 per cent pass rate and the highest mark being 96 per cent.

The whole school of more than 300 performers too part in their annual show ‘I have a Dream’ at Loretto School Theatre in March, with four sell-out performances.