Tipperary dancers are putting their best foot forward in Blackpool

A number of lyrical/contemporary ballet dance students from Clonmel-based AOK-Dance are travelling to Blackpool, England this weekend to take part in the UK and Ireland Championships.

A team, as well as two soloists, will compete, having qualified from the heat in Dublin last year.

The event in Blackpool will feature all acts that finished with a top three placing in the various heats that took place over the past year in the UK and Ireland.

The students are honoured to be performing alongside the top schools from the UK and Ireland, and are looking forward to spending the weekend in Blackpool, a town synonymous with dance.

AOK-Dance is a Clonmel-based dance school, which has been running in Clonmel since 2015, and has already enjoyed huge success and growth in that time. The school operates from its dance studio in Gortnafleur Business Park.

In addition to numerous classes in ballet and lyrical dance, there are also classes for boys only, additional needs students, adult dance and one-to-one, as well as pointe and progressing ballet technique. The school places an emphasis on encouraging creativity, building confidence, nurturing a love of dance and providing opportunities for all.

The school is owned and run by Clonmel woman Aoife O’Keeffe.

After studying at Firkin Crane, Cork, Aoife relocated to London, where she was accepted for postgraduate studies in dance at the world famous Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Aoife performed and choreographed throughout the UK, Europe and USA, and taught in various schools and universities. She is delighted to be back in Clonmel, sharing her passion with so many talented and enthusiastic students.