A small Huddersfield dance school is celebrating a remarkable achievement after qualifying to represent England at the 2026 Dance World Cup in Dublin next July.
Silk School of Dance, based in Honley, secured their place in the prestigious international competition after triumphing in a field of more than 9,000 applicants.
Only seven contestants from each category make it through to the finals, and Silk’s young dancers have earned their spot in the highly competitive Children’s Ballet section.
In addition to the Ballet Team, Lexy Connell has qualified 2nd in the Solo Acro section and is finals-bound.
The accomplishment is particularly significant for a school of Silk’s size, competing against some of the largest and best-established dance academies across the country.
Silk was founded in 2015 by Pennie Connell (née Walker), a Huddersfield local who returned home following a successful professional career performing worldwide with Irish dance company Spirit of the Dance and as Dance Captain for Princess Cruises.
Since opening its doors, Silk has grown to around 100 dancers, offering training in Ballet, Tap, Acro, Jazz and Commercial dance for children aged 2 to 18.
The school has enjoyed numerous highlights over the years, including performances at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, performing at major dance events CYD in Liverpool, earning trophies at Time 2 Shine at Alton Towers and medal-winning successes in solos, duos and troupe competitions. Qualifying for the Dance World Cup marks their most significant milestone yet.
The Dance World Cup is one of the largest performing arts competitions on the planet, attracting more than 8,000 competitors from over 60 countries each year—making it second only to the Olympic Games in competitor numbers.
With the scale of the event comes considerable cost, and Silk’s dancers are now fundraising to cover event fees, costumes and travel expenses to ensure every qualifying child can take part.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the team’s journey and can be found HERE.
For this small Honley school, the chance to stand on a world stage and represent England is a dream come true.
Now, the community is rallying behind them to help make it a reality.
