An East Lancashire dancer has been crowned the winner of a competition and has scooped a scholarship fund as a result.
Emily Rolfe, from Oswaldtwistle, took part in Theatre Dance Council International’s national scholarship senior tap dance final, which took place at The Marine Hall Theatre in Fleetwood.
Representing the International Dance Teacher’s Association (IDTA) and her Blackburn-based dance school, the Zoe Taylor Dance Academy, the 17-year-old performed a showstopping solo and beat off competition from six other top tappers from all corners of the country.
As part of the week-long British Dance Championships, Emily’s prize win includes a £300 scholarship fund to put towards dance tuition, classes and costumes.
Emily and the other six finalists were each selected by national dance exam boards to take part in the high-level competition.
The teenager, who is an ambassador for Dan’s Trust, a charity that provides funding for talented teens, said: “The scholarship means a lot to me because it was an honour to have even been selected to represent the IDTA on Sunday, let alone win the award itself.
“I have been workshopping and practising my Michael Jackson-inspired solo since I was asked to take part in early June.
“The support and funding I receive from Dan’s Trust helped particularly with the costume for my performance - as this is something I had to put together myself.
“I also had to attend extra private lessons to practice and learn my choreography which Dan’s Trust’s generous funding helped to pay for.”
Dan's Trust was founded by Peter and Shelagh Bagshaw of Clitheroe, with their sons Ian and Gary, and their wives Liz and Sarah.
The charity was established in 2012 after the death of their son and brother, Daniel Bagshaw. Dan, who was just 27, died at the finish line of an ITU Olympic distance triathlon in Hong Kong after suffering from a sudden and unexplained arrhythmia.
He was a cycling enthusiast and an extremely talented and athletic young lawyer.
Dan’s Trust aims to nurture youngsters within the local community, through its Make A Difference awards scheme. The awards provide donations of up to £1,000 per year to older children and teenagers who are passionate and committed to a skill, sport or talent.
Since 2014, the charity has partnered with countless schools, sports teams and drama clubs across Lancashire to identify deserving kids who could benefit from some financial support to further a special talent.
Charity co-founder and trustee, Ian Bagshaw, said: “We are all so proud of Emily and her continued hard work and success with her competitive dancing.
“This latest accolade is a testament to Emily’s admirable work ethic and talent, and Dan’s Trust is delighted to be in a position to help her further her dream of becoming a full-time, professional dancer.”
Alongside Emily, the charity’s other ambassadors include under-16 Lancashire County tennis champ, Will Jepson and rising female football star, Jess Simpson.
As well as its successful awards programme, Dan’s Trust promotes and funds research into the early diagnosis of cardiac risk in the young, as well as the improvement of treatment methods for sudden cardiac arrest.
So far in 2022, Dan’s Trust has donated over £20,000 to support the growth of talent in East Lancashire.
For further information and to apply for one of the charity’s Make A Difference Awards, visit https://danstrust.org.uk/and to donate head to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dans-trust
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