Leven dance academy raises funds to support its 10 World Cup final qualifiers

The Academy is now working hard to raise funds to ensure they can turn their dream of competing for Scotland on the world stage into reality.

The 10 dancers to qualify for the World Cup are Millie Simpson (6), Jaymi Biggerstaff (10), Abi Walker (12), Lucie-Luise Balfour (12), Brooke Allan (12), Iqra Asif (13), Danni Biggerstaff (13), Emma Brodie (17), Aleeza Aslam (17) and Stephanie Brewster (18).

They’ll be competing against 61 other countries in the final in Spain – and dance teacher Amber Simpson is immensely proud of all of them.

Amber said: “These students have managed to qualify in lyrical and jazz styles of dance, scoring amazing percentages in their sections, and I feel sure they will all do well at the final.

“For the qualifier, myself and the students put together video dance auditions that then got sent away and marked against the rest of Scotland’s entries.

“Having to score a mark of 70 per cent or more, the girls smashed it and I am over the moon that 10 of our children get to experience an event as amazing as this and represent their country as part of Team Scotland.

“Our youngest competitor is six-year-old Millie Simpson, who has qualified with a lyrical solo in the Mini Division which is for ages 4-9 years. This little one is marking higher than a lot of girls three years older than her!

“All the girls are putting in five or six days per week in the studio in preparation. They know it’s going to be tough, but they are so dedicated and more than willing to put the hard work in.”

Amber, who has an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ballet and Contemporary from the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance, opened her first classes in Levenmouth five years ago.

She now has her own dance studio in Leven where she teaches 22 private lessons, six lyrical dance classes, three acrobatic dance classes and various competition classes every week. Her school teaches children from as young as 18 months to 18 years old, and has grown to around 100 pupils.

Amber regularly enters children in lyrical, jazz and acrobatic dance competitions, mainly in World Lyrical Dance Federation competition, and last year dancers achieved success at Scottish, British and World level.

“Having such a successful year gave myself as a teacher the courage to enter the students in the Dance World Cup Qualifier,” said Amber. “It has always been seen as such a huge competition – ‘the Olympics of Dance’ – but we are ready for it!”

The girls are taking part in a fundraising 24-hour ‘Danceathon’ from 9am on Saturday, March 12, to 9am Sunday, March 13, which will be live on Facebook so everyone can watch them dance around the clock.

There’s also a thrift shop planned for Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 3, at Amber’s dance studio in Nairn Street, while some of the dads and grandads are doing a sponsored cycle from the Forth Road Bridge to Leven the same weekend. There’s a JustGiving fundraising page set up too.

Amber has also contacted local councillors to find out what help might be available, and local businesses to seek sponsorship or raffle prizes.

Amber said: “We know that it is going to take a lot of hard work, but we are a team and all want the best for our children.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​”

Keep up to date with the girls’ fundraising efforts and preparations at the Amber Barclay Academy of Dance Facebook page.

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