Blackpool youngsters will compete in the UDO World Street Dance Championships at the Winter Gardens

The seven youngsters, aged between 11 and 17, were the only Blackpool dancers to qualify for the prestigious event.

Each of the dancers will perform in Solo & Duo categories, during the four day event which runs from Thursday August 11 to Sunday August 14 at the Winter Gardens.

They will compete against over 230 teams from 30 countries.

The boys train at Skool Of Street, a community dance school.

Samantha Bell Docherty, co-director, said: “We’re so proud of the hard work and dedication it’s taken them to get to the finals. It’s the biggest competition in the world for what we do and the fact it’s held in Blackpool is just awesome, the vibe of the town over those days is incredible.”

The dancers have been training every day to prepare for the contest.

And the school on Back Reads Road is offering up their studio space to help visiting dance crews get extra practise.

"It’s way of uniting all the dancers. Some of our dancers are originally from some of the countries competing, so having those nationalities here they get to reconnect with their roots”.

It will be the 15th annual UDO World Street Dance Championships, and the first to be staged after missing the past two years because of Covid.

5,000 people are expected at the event, organised through the United Dance Organisation (UDO).

For further details about the championships, including ticket details, visit: https://www.udostreetdance.com/gb_en/events/tickets/udo-world-street-dance-championships-2022