A HOUSEBUILDER has donated hundreds of pounds to help a dance troupe reach new heights.

Bellway, which is building new homes at Beaulieu Grange in Chelmsford, has sponsored Architects Dance Company to compete in the IASF Dance World Championships.

This will be held at Disney World in Florida, from April 26-29.

Altogether, the group will take 30 dancers, who make up six teams to compete in four different styles - hip hop, lyrical, jazz and pom.

The company is no stranger to enjoying success, as their Colossus team is ranked ranked third in the world, after securing the bronze ‘globe’ award in hip hop at the IASF championships in 2022 and 2023.

Architects Dance Company is the first UK dance studio to have teams competing in all four styles at the world championship event. 

The teams qualified for the competition by winning events in the UK.

Meanwhile, Bellway Essex’s donation will enable the group to hire specialist studios in America so the dancers can practise for the competition.

Mathew Jones, head coach and choreographer at Architects Dance Company, said: “Prior to the competition we take our teams to specialist studios for our last few practices and this donation will be covering the hire of that studio time. 

“This means that we will have proper and adequate training space and time.

“Architects Dance Company are ready to take on the world championships and showcase our incredible talent from our little studio in Chelmsford. 

“This amazingly generous donation from Bellway is enabling our dancers to fulfil their dreams and create lifelong memories to cherish forever.”

Jenny Walker, sales director for Bellway Essex, said: “It is great to know that our donation will help give the dancers quality time in a studio in Florida to practise and prepare properly for the world championships.

“It is wonderful that a dance group from Chelmsford has a team that is rated third in the world and we hope that our local teams dance their way to more success this year.”