MORE than 1,200 people took part in the week-long Wyre Forest Dance Festival, held in Stourport.

The festival took place at Stourport Civic Theatre Hall and was organised by Wyre Forest District Council and a committee of volunteers consisting of teachers, parents and the Kidderminster and District Lions Club.

The popular event attracts performers from local and other dance schools across the Midlands, to compete at Stourport Civic Theatre from Saturday, February 14, to Friday, February 20.

Around 2,000 people visited the festival over the week, to watch all disciplines of dance from Ballet, modern, lyrical, cabaret and classical.

Adjudicator Karen Collings selected the best dancers throughout the week to enter Championship sections of the festival with the winners and runners receiving trophies.

Junior Champion was named as Benjamin Sears, of Academy Dance in Worcester, and the runner-up was Alice Barker, also of Academy Dance.

Intermediate champion was Lucy Morris, of Academy Dance, and runner-up was Daniel Richards, of Splinters in Kidderminster.

Senior champion was named as Kai Cannon, of Splinters, and Grace Rayner, of Academy Dance, was runner-up.

This year’s festival was a qualifying festival for the All England Dance Competition. Dancers, who received a certain mark, automatically go through to the All England regional finals, to be held in Cheltenham in May. The national finals will take place in London in the summer.

Councillor Anne Hingley, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet member for health, well-being and housing, said: “We were delighted with 2015 Wyre Forest Dance festival.

“It is always a quality competition and once again this year the dancers did not disappoint. The standard was very high and the competition was tough, but it was conducted in a really friendly atmosphere.

“We wish all the dancers who qualified for the next round of the All England competition the very best of luck.”