A SMALL dance school from Yate has won big at a national competition.

Rhythm, Energy, Dance, Drama and Singing (REDDS) School took home a trophy cabinet of silverware including a first placed overall small group.

A group of dancers from the school, based at Ridgewood Community Centre, competed in the Starpower International contest in London on May 17 and 18.

The lyrical team, made up of Milan Cacacie, Lily Griffiths, Elle, Shephard, Brodie Shutt and Rhian Streeter, took all five stars awarded for their performance and were crowned overall small group champions.

The girls also won numerous awards for their individual dances, duo and team performances including first place in the overall duet (Milan Cacacie and Lily Griffiths), first place for the acrogymnastics solo category (Rhian Streeter), first place lyrical solo (Milan Cacacie) and first place contemporary team.

REDDS principal Erin Cacacie said: “My competition team have been training every Saturday as well as during the week in their dance and technique classes.

"We went with three team pieces, three solos and a duet and I was going to use this weekend to see where our little school lies on a national level and to see if what we were doing and producing was on par with some of the top London schools.

“The girls came away with only losing a quarter off from a clean sweep of five stars and winners in everything they did. Their technique and training showed on stage and our little school from Yate had some of the best dancers on that stage this weekend.”

She added: “I am so proud and couldn't be happier.

“It is also proof that we are training dancers who can compete on a national and soon to be international level.

“The competition for the teams and solos was incredibly hard with some amazing schools and talent taking part but our REDDS team is up there with the best of them.”