A professional dance teacher from Whitehaven will be representing Team England in the Dance World Cup.

Laura Bouckley, an Artistic Director of Contemporary Dance, will be training and choreographing her student’s performance this August.

Mrs. Bouckley said: “It’s my first time taking part in the Dance World Cup.”

“It’s absolutely incredible and a complete dream it all feels a bit weird.”

Laura has been dancing since age two and started attending local classes around West Cumbria.

She regularly took part in dances and performances whilst at Wyndham School in Egremont, which is now West Lakes Academy.

After developing a strong passion for the art of dance Laura decided that she wanted to turn it into a career and began studying a course at Cumbria Institute of the Arts for part of her training.

She then went onto train at a dance school in Leeds before relocating to London.

Now Laura trains her own students at Newhall School in Chelmsford.

Mrs. Bouckley said: “I think my student was chosen to represent myself and Team England because he has very special qualities as a dancer.”

“Not every piece of work would have brought this out in him but my choreography perfectly suited him as a dancer.”

The Dance World Cup takes place every year but this time both the 2020 and 2021 contests will be occurring simultaneously due to coronavirus.

The event will take place from Sunday 15th August until Thursday 19th August and will take place at the Telford International Centre in Birmingham.

Mrs. Bouckley added: “It’s a real honour honour to be asked to represent our country.”

“Regardless of what happens my student and I are one of four in the country and that’s amazing.”

This is the biggest competition for dance globally with around 54 countries taking part and six thousand dancers.