Above: Jess Gorton demonstrates her acro talents at Dame Allan’s Schools’ Dance Studio 

12-year-old Jess Gorton has secured a prestigious place in the Dance World Cup, which will be taking place in Burgos, Spain in July 2025.

Jess, who is in Year 7 at Dame Allan’s Girls’ School, will be representing England in her age category as part of an acro duet. Acro is a dance style that combines classical dance with acrobatic elements, a skill that Jess has been training in since she was very young.

“I have been dancing ever since I learned to walk!” explained Jess. “I train six days a week at Kellyanne’s Dance Academy in Hartlepool and take part in the Year 7 dance club at Dame Allan’s. I love how dance can help you to express yourself without having to talk.”

The Dance World Cup sees 120,000 competitors from 66 countries compete at country qualifiers and the finals themselves, making it the world’s largest all-genre dance competition. Competitors are aged between four and 25, and each country only has four spots available per age group and genre at the World Finals.

“I actually found out that I had made it through to the finals at my dance school Christmas party.” recalls Jess. “A lot of dancers had taken part in World Cup auditions at the dance school, so I was really proud that myself and my acro duet partner Ava had been successful. I’m really looking forward to going to Spain!” 

As well as representing England in acro, Jess is also on the reserve list to compete in the tap category of the event with a tap troupe, should she need to fill in for another dancer. 

“For now, I’m just working on getting stronger and making our routine as good as it can be, which includes making it a bit more difficult!” added Jess. 

Kellyanne Stevens, Owner and Principal at Kellyanne’s Dance Academy said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Jess – qualifying for the Dance World Cup. This is the fourth year running pupils from the school have qualified to represent their country. Jessica’s hard work and commitment to dance have made this opportunity a possibility and I am so proud of her.”

Mr Will Scott, Principal at Dame Allan’s Schools commented: “We are also very proud of Jess’ achievements in dance, especially at such a young age, and wish her all the best for her training and the World Cup event in the summer.”