AN Andersonstown Hip Hop Dance School is celebrating after qualifying for the World Championships in Arizona this summer.
16 dancers from Kollizion Crew took part in the Hip Hip International Ireland qualifiers in Dublin over the weekend of April 1-2.
Kollizion Crew will now represent Ireland in the World Hip Hop Dance Championships from July 30-August 6 in the Junior, MegaCrew and Varsity Divisions.
Dance teacher, Rochelle McParland said it was a "dream come true" for her team.
"I sat all the dancers down at the start of the year and spoke to them about their goals for the New Year," she explained.
"One of the team leaders said how the girls qualified for the European Championships but couldn't go due to the pandemic and thought we should try a qualifier for the Worlds.
"I was able to get us in to the Hip Hop International Ireland qualifiers. We had seven weeks to prepare for it. I said to the dancers that we would go for the experience and if we qualify, it is a bonus.
"The girls went and done it. I am absolutely delighted for them. It was an ambition that came from them at the start of the year. It was very rewarding for them.
"When they came off the stage, the tears were flowing. They were so emotional. The youngest dancer is only eight-years-old!
"It really made their day and it was a dream come true. It is a real team effort, from the dancers to all the instructors, not only myself but Juliana Roche and Jane Taylor-Grieve too."
Rochelle says a busy few months lies ahead in preparation for Arizona.
"We now have 12 weeks to prepare for the World Championships in August so it will be a busy three months of training, fundraising and hopefully trying to win.
"We are very ambitious and if anything comes of it, it will be an even bigger bonus."
