A troupe of tiny dancers is hoping to make history and conquer America’s cheerleading world championships if members can raise enough cash for the trans-Atlantic trip.
The Red Hot Embers are a group consisting of 10 girls between 5 and 7 years old, all from a Salford-based dance academy. They would be the first international team in their age group to compete in The Summit Championships at Disney World.
They beat the best in Britain to become national champions of the ‘Tiny’After performing at the Jamfest European Championships in Liverpool, June, the age group Pom Pom discipline won the Grand Champion award for the highest score.
Internationally, girls compete only in older age groups. But their score was third out of all dance teams competing in Liverpool. They are now eligible for international glory in America.
But to fly the flag for Britain they need sponsorship, with travel and accommodation costs alone coming to more than £1,500 per member, with costumes, poms, training kit, music licences and training venues.
They are hoping to perform routines in pom pom, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical. The five judges will score the performers based on synchronisation, technique and crowd appeal.
From left to right: Luna-Rose and Lilah, Nattaya and Amber, and from the centre: Olivia, Millie and Erin. Front: Amelia (Red Hot Embers/PA Media).
The team members include Scarlett Davies and Scarlett Davies, Millie Quirk and Nyah Dalli. They are all five years old. Amelie Tudor and Erin Eve Smith and Nattaya boyle are all six- and seven-years-olds.
Natasha Wilde (30), their coach and choreographer at Studio 96 Dance Academy, Salford said: “I think I am still in shock of what these talented little ladies have achieved this season.
“The girls often sacrifice social events such as friends’ parties to ensure they are at training which just shows their levels of dedication at such a young age.
“I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them”
Carmel Craddock was Erin Eve Smith’s grandmother. “I never thought my granddaughter would be competing internationally at such a young age.”
The annual Dance Summit 2023 is held in Coronado Springs (Florida) on 29-30 April 2023.
Suzanne Roberts founded the Red Hot Flames Dance Academy in 1996. It was initially started as a cheerleading team for the rugby league Super League club Salford Reds.
Competitive cheerleading began as a way of supporting sports teams. In 1960s American colleges, it became an independent sport. Today, around 90,000. girls in the UK participate in the sport.
The Embers team does not want finance to be a barrier for any of the girls and is trying to raise a minimum of £5,000 to help families fund the trip.
Anyone who can sponsor the girls is asked to contribute via their GoFundMe page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/get-embers-to-the-summit-2023-in-orlando