The Dance School Awards 2026 have celebrated the UK’s most extraordinary dancers, groups, schools, and creatives. From show-stopping solos to breathtaking ensembles, visionary teachers, and innovative choreographers, these finalists and winners have raised the bar for excellence in dance.
THE FINALISTS OF THE
DANCE SCHOOL AWARDS 2026
Nominees & Winners
Musical Theatre Group of the Year
Nominees
I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Wicked Medley — The Britton School of Performing Arts
March — Laura's Dance Academy Group Musical Theatre
Anastasia — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Flash Bang Wallop — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Hooverville — The Britton School of Performing Arts
SIX — Deborah Day Theatre School
WINNER: March — Laura's Dance Academy
Musical Theatre Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Sienna Taylor — MT with Jessie & CPA
Rocco Cavaliere — Azure Theatre School
Maisie Smith — Faye Llewellyn Dance Collective (FLDC)
Austin Redwood — Steppin’ Out Academy of Performance
Hattie Gray — Elizabeth Hill School of Dance & Drama
Destini Clarke — Spicer Dance Company
WINNER: Maisie Smith — Faye Llewellyn Dance Collective (FLDC)
Tap Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Olivia Hunter — ElliTe Studios
Matilda Lawson — Zoe Pennington Dance Studios
Emily Taylor — Zoe Pennington Dance Studios
Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Ruby Howard — Classique School of Dance
Cerys Batchelor — The Amanda Restell Academy of Dance
Sienna Taylor — Central Performing Arts (CPA)
Molly Clara Stewart — CC Dance Company
WINNER: Ruby Howard — Classique School of Dance
Acro Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Lexi Craven — ElliTe Studios
Aaron Kearns — ElliTe Studios
Porter Scott — ElliTe Studios
Emily Paul — Heather’s Dance Company
Angelina Oleschuk — Valentine Theatre School
Evie Dadson — Dance Collective
WINNER: Lexi Craven — ElliTe Studios
Lyrical Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Lexi Craven — ElliTe Studios
Sofia McDonald — Ignite Dance Company
Emily Tonsi — Brooks Dance Academy
Malakai Mobbs — Dexterity Dance School
Astyn Lily Hannah — Unity Dance Project
Porter Scott — ElliTe Studios
Arietta Hall — MV Academy
Serenna Hunte — Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre
Vinay Radia — I Got Soul Performing Arts
WINNER: Malakai Mobbs — Dexterity Dance School
Junior Ballet Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Annabelle Humphrey — ElliTe Studios
Miranda Webb — Blommaert Ballet School
Skylar Key — Blommaert Ballet School
Oscar Howarth — The Dance Academy Grimsby
Laney Wray — ElliTe Studios
Evelyn Pickles — Martinicca Theatre School
Arietta Hall — MV Academy
Eliza Peters — Bovingdon Dance Academy
WINNER: Arietta Hall — MV Academy
Outstanding Ballet Ensemble
Nominees
Waves of Serenity — ElliTe Studios
POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
Gypsy Whispers — ElliTe Studios
Golden Hour — Blommaert Ballet School
Fuego — ElliTe Studios
Lux Aeterna — ElliTe Studios
William Tell Ballet Group — Totnes School of Dance
Be Our Guest — The Heights Ballet and Theatre School
WINNER: Waves of Serenity — ElliTe Studios
Senior Ballet Soloist
Nominees
Valentina Burns — Wellington College
Oakley Bassford — Blommaert Ballet School
Emily Tonsi — Brooks Dance Academy
Gaia Fitzpatrick — Lake Academy of Dance
Sienna Taylor — Central Performing Arts (CPA)
WINNER: Oakley Bassford — Blommaert Ballet School
Character Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Isla Smith — Just Dance Studio
Jaimee Obeng — Graham School of Dance and Theatre Arts
Sofia McDonald — Ignite Dance Company
Sienna Taylor — Central Performing Arts (CPA)
Matilda Lawson — Zoë Pennington Dance Studios
Hattie Gray — Elizabeth Hill School of Dance & Drama
WINNER: Jaimee Obeng — Graham School of Dance and Theatre Arts
Contemporary Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Arietta Hall — MV Academy
Darcey Thomas — Brooks Dance Academy
Joey Unitt — Blommaert Ballet School
Megan Sweeney — Unity Dance Project
Emily Tonsi — Brooks Dance Academy
Miranda Webb — Blommaert Ballet School
Heidi Ogden — Brooks Dance Academy
Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Lewis Llamas — Dance Collective
WINNER: Darcey Thomas — Brooks Dance Academy
Rising Star Award — Sponsored by ArtsEd
Nominees
Porter Scott — ElliTe Studios
Astyn Lily Hannah — Unity Dance Project
Hattie Gray — Elizabeth Hill School of Dance & Drama
Darcy Hernandez Grose — Shannon Jade Dance Company
Lily Mahon-Scott — HIPA Studios
WINNER: Astyn Lily Hannah — Unity Dance Project
Outstanding Duet Award
Nominees
Isabel Greenough & Rocco Cavaliere — Azure Theatre School
Olivia Payton & Sophia Dodd — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Ava Quarmby & Phoebe Pittaway — Advance School of Dance and Theatre Art
Saskia Bateman & Lanie Illingworth — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Emily Tonsi & Sammi Murr — Brooks Dance Academy
Annabelle Humphrey & Laney Wray — ElliTe Studios
Amelia Driver & Amy Wharton — The Britton School of Performing Arts
WINNER: Isabel Greenough & Rocco Cavaliere — Azure Theatre School
Creative Innovation Award —
Sponsored by the Dance World Cup UK Team
Nominees
Swans — ElliTe Studios
Wonderful World — Katie Cox Dance Studio
SOS — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
Ordinary — Totnes School of Dance
ICARUS — Wellington College
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
WINNER: ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
Most Promising Junior Group of the Year
Nominees
Clouds — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Me and My Girl — Deborah Day Theatre School
Munchkinland — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Inspector Gadget — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Skeleton Sam — The Britton School of Performing Arts
WONKA — Supreme Academy
WINNER: Munchkinland — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Outstanding Lyrical/Contemporary Group of the Year
Nominees
MOTHERLESS CHILD — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
Acceptance — Graham School of Dance & Theatre Arts
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Voila — ElliTe Studios
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road — ElliTe Studios
My Way — ElliTe Studios
I Have Nothing — Eleanor Clark Dance Company
WINNER: My Way — ElliTe Studios
Dollie Henry MBE Award — Jazz Group
Nominees
Copacabana — Katie Wilson
Abracadabra — Brighton College
Dancin' Fool — Brighton College
Alice — Brighton College
Inspector Gadget — The Britton School of Performing Arts
SING SANG SUNG — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
WINNER: Abracadabra — Brighton College
Jazz Soloist of the Year — Sponsored by Dollie Henry MBE
Nominees
Anya Ezimokhai — Blommaert Ballet School
Miranda Webb — Blommaert Ballet School
Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Izzy Legge — Bovingdon Dance Academy
Astyn Lily Hannah — Unity Dance Project
Sofia McDonald — Ignite Dance Company
Amelia Thompson — Tee Lily Dance Company
WINNER: Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Best Commercial & Street Dance Group of the Year —
Sponsored by Flawless
Nominees
Unleashed — Dance Reality Studios
Aerodynamic — BRAMU
Street Symphony — Streetfunk
Vogue — Brighton College
MEPA Mix — MEPA Studios
WINNER: Street Symphony — Streetfunk
Commercial & Street Dance Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Frankie Moriarty — Bovingdon Dance Academy
Amelia Thompson — Tee Lily Dance Company
Destini Clarke — Spicer Dance Company
Evie Dadson — Dance Collective
Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Natalia Michaels — Ignite Dance Company
Arabella Norton — Dance Collective
Jandice Stewart — The Brit School
WINNER: Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Modern Soloist of the Year
Nominees
Evelyn Pickles — Martinicca Theatre School
Lulu Malin — Christine Anderson Theatre School
Vivien Abreu — Graham School of Dance & Theatre Arts
Harper Hughes — Barbara Jacksons Theatre Arts Centre
Sienna Taylor — Central Performing Arts (CPA)
Isla Smith — Just Dance Studios
Jessica Rihanna Mocanu — HIPA Studios
Elise Merchant — Trinity Stage School
WINNER: Lulu Malin — Christine Anderson Theatre School
Outstanding Trio or Quartet of the Year
Nominees
Heidi Ogden, Tilda Paul & Daisy Adhangle — Brooks Dance Academy
Annabelle Humphrey, Laney Wray & Evie Gilroy — ElliTe Studios
Rocco Cavaliere, Jude Sanders, James Senior & Joshua Rowe — Azure Theatre School
Sophia Dodd, Saskia Bateman & Olivia Payton — The Britton School of Performing Arts
Isabella Paterson, Annis Congleton & Jessy Yan — Brighton College
Aidan Scanlon, Bruno Guest & Noah Hajela — Brighton College
Phoebe Hill, Lucy Lain & Elsie Mann — Eleanor Clark Dance Company
Lottie Fell, Beth Telford, Tallulah Openshaw & Olivia Woodrow — ElliTe Studios
WINNER: Heidi Ogden, Tilda Paul & Daisy Adhangle — Brooks Dance Academy
The TIRED Movement Award
WINNER: Jaimee Obeng — Graham School of Dance & Theatre Arts
Outstanding Latin & Ballroom Award of the Year
Nominees
Katherine Healey — Dance Envy
Michael Nedashkivskyi — Dance School
Lilia — DanceMatic
Mariia Filonenko — Bespoke Ballroom
Esther Semenovskaia — Oti & Marius Dance Studio
Jude Welham & Florence Welham — Dancematicq
WINNER: Mariia Filonenko — Bespoke Ballroom
International Group Award —
Sponsored by Solange Urdang OBE
Nominees
POKER FACE — ELITE DANCE AND FITNESS SEYCHELLES
ADRENALINE ZENITH — WSO Adrenaline Youth Dance Company
STAND UP — ELITE DANCE AND FITNESS SEYCHELLES
MISSY CODE — ELITE DANCE AND FITNESS SEYCHELLES
WINNER: ADRENALINE ZENITH — WSO Adrenaline Youth Dance Company
International Solo Award —
Sponsored by Solange Urdang OBE
Nominees
Kheer Zhou — Gems WSO Adrenaline Youth Company, in partnership with UDO Academy DXB
Cassidy Reese — Leyong Super Crew DXB – UDO Academy Dubai
Andreas Antoniou — WSO Adrenaline Youth Dance Company, in partnership with UDO Academy
Lynn Maruhn — TSA MTV Langwedel Germany
Frank Tate — WSO Adrenaline Youth Dance Company – UAE
Muyan Tian — SUPER CREW DXB member — UDO Academy Dubai
WINNER: Frank Tate — WSO Adrenaline Youth Dance Company – UAE
Most Influential Industry Creative
Nominees
Dean Lee
Kenrick Sandy MBE
Brenda Garrett-Glassman
Claudimar Neto
Drew McOnie
WINNER: Kenrick Sandy MBE
Dance Teacher of the Year —
Sponsored by MOVE IT
Nominees
Amanda Schofield — Brighton College
Sander Blommaert — Blommaert Ballet School
Eleanor Clark — Eleanor Clark Dance Company
Sophie Tolley — Joy in Motion
Kathryn Edkins — All Stars Performing Arts
Claire Jiggins — Valentine Theatre School
Kahli Lewis — Kahli Lewis Dance Company
WINNER: Sander Blommaert
Dance Competition of the Year
Nominees
Triple Threat Productions
Prodigy Dance Events Ltd
Euphoria Dance Events Yorkshire
BDA Promotions North Wales Weekender
Xcite Dance
Gravesham Festival
WINNER: Triple Threat Productions
Dance School of the Year
Nominees
Jiji Emi Dance Company
Wells Cathedral School
The Britton School of Performing Arts
Steppin' Out Academy of Performance
Eleanor Clark Dance Company
Blommaert Ballet School
Dance Reality Studios
ElliTe Studios
WINNER: ElliTe Studios
Outstanding Achievement Award
WINNER: Jayne A Coleman
