A pupil from Newfield Park Primary Academy in Halesowen has celebrated an eighth-place finish at the Dance World Cup 2026 in Dublin, competing against young dancers from around the world.
Ava, who trained with Next Level Dance Academy in Cradley, represented England alongside her teammates at the World Finals, held at The Convention Centre Dublin earlier this year.
The event brought together more than 120,000 competitors from 73 countries and is regarded as the world’s largest all-genre dance competition for children and young adults.
The result followed months of training, rehearsals and performances for Ava and her teammates, who worked throughout the year to prepare.
Steve Payne, Principal at Newfield Park Primary Academy, said: “This was such a special achievement for Ava and one that we’re incredibly proud to celebrate as a school community.
“For our pupils, achievements like this are a wonderful reminder that talents and interests can take them to places they may ever have imagined. Ava has shown that when children are encouraged to pursue what they love, supported by the people around them and prepared to put in the hard work, there really is no limit to what they can achieve. She’s been a fantastic role model and a wonderful ambassador for our school.”
Next Level Dance Academy was founded in 2014 and offers dance classes for children and adults from its studio in Halesowen. The school’s aims to develop dancers’ skills and confidence in a kind, caring and nurturing environment, while ensuring that hard work and practice remain enjoyable.
