World Lyrical Dance Federation World Champions

Hosted by the World Lyrical Dance Federation, the World Championship Dance Competition took place in Dublin over the July/August Bank Holiday weekend. This event saw a series of competitions take place over a range of dance genres such as lyrical and contemporary, jazz, and acrobatic arts, with teams from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and South Africa participating in the four day event.
The North-West of Ireland was represented most ably by a group of young dancers from the Michelle Bell School of Dance based at Le Studio in Bundoran’s retail park.

With much stage experience at both theatrical and competitive level, the nine strong group, under the tuition and guidance of their teacher, Michelle Bell, participated in lyrical, jazz and acrobatic arts solos as well as lyrical duets, trios and group dances.
Hard work is involved in preparation for an event at such a standard, and the group of young dancers rose to the occasion with great dedication and commitment, having shown similar dedication in their participation for the most recent WLDF World Championships in 2019.
The dance team comprising of ( in alphabetical order) Ogie Barrett, Kayley Gallagher, Roisin Hamrogue, Darcy McGloin, Willow Meehan, Iona O’Donnell, Ellie Reynolds, Cassidy Warnock and Ellie-Mai Warnock, displayed immense dedication and commitment, pursuing a rigorous dance schedule in preparation for this world status event. And the dedication and sheer hard work has paid off with the team bringing home a string of both individual and group awards detailed as follows :
Group results: 1st place - U16 Lyrical Squad Level 2 and U16 Jazz Squad – 3rd place.

Michelle Bell School of Dance participants, left to right, Ogie Barrett, Kayley Gallagher, Roisin Hamrogue Ilyas, Ellie Reynolds, Iona O'Donnell and Ellie-Mai Warnock

Individual results : U 14 Level 2 Lyrical Solo Final – 6th place, Ellie Reynolds, U14 Advanced Lyrical Solo Final – 2nd place, Roisin Hamrogue Ilyas, U 16 Jazz Solo Final – 5th place, Kayley Gallagher U16 Advanced Lyrical Solo Final – 5th place, Kayley Gallagher, U16 Level 1 Lyrical Solo - 14th place, Iona O’Donnell, U14 Lyrical Duo Level 2, 2nd place, Ellie Reynolds & Ellie-Mai Warnock, U16 Lyrical Duo Level 2, 2nd place Ogie Barrett and Kayley Gallagher,
Acrobatic Arts U14 Intermediate Level joint 6th place - Ogie Barrett and Ellie Reynolds, U14 Advanced Level joint 2nd place – Roisin Hamrogue Ilyas,

U16 Intermediate Level 5th place – Kayley Gallagher, Support solos – 7th place, Willow Meehan, 13th place , Cassidy Warnock
The Michelle Bell School of Dance based in Le Studio in Bundoran’s Retail Park is headed by founder and teacher Michelle Bell who followed her love of dance through professional dance training in the UK to the West End stage as a professional dancer and performer, and finally to the establishment of a dance school where she inspires young dancers with her love of the art form.

Offering tuition in ballet, jazz, lyrical and acrobatic arts dance genres, Michelle speaks with passion and enthusiasm about her role in inspiring young dancers, “I’m a very lucky teacher having amazing pupils and getting the opportunity to share my passion for dance with so many young people”. Having founded her dance school in 2010, Michelle is seeing her success materialise in the numbers of children and teenagers attending various classes at Le Studio.

We wish the young dancers, and their teacher, every success into the future as they pursue their love of dance at the Michelle Bell School of Dance.

Regina Fahey.