Ballroom closures and FaceTime rehearsals - best friends win national dancing title despite pandemic chaos

When national lockdowns closed ballrooms across the country, dancing partners Pippa Smith and Molly Barnfather had to think of ways they could practice together while remaining apart.

The best friends, who train with Wendy Hatton at the Hatton Academy of Dance and Arts in South Shields, spent months rehearsing their classical sequence routines on FaceTime to ensure they would be well prepared to compete in the Blackpool Junior Dance Festival when it was finally able to go ahead.

And their hard work paid off on Thursday, August 12 when the pair stepped out onto the Empress Ballroom dancefloor and impressed judges with their two dance routines.

Pippa, 12, from South Shields and Molly, 11, from Jarrow, won the Juvenile All Girl British championship 2021 in classical sequence – a victory that meant all the more after a tough 16 months.

Pippa’s proud mum, Marie Smith, said: “They have been practicing at home [throughout the lockdowns] as they were not able to practice together because of Covid restrictions.

"They FaceTimed each other and practiced their routines in their separate houses.

"Then it was a phased approach to returning to the dance school where they practiced apart and when restrictions were lifted they were able to practice together again.

"They were so excited and over the moon to have been able to get back in the ballroom and see all their old friends again – it’s about the social aspect as much as anything else.”

Pippa, who attends Harton Technology College and Molly from Jarrow School, have been dancing at Hatton Academy since the age of three and started dancing together three years ago.

The pair spent five days competing in the Blackpool Junior Dance festival where they also achieved four third places in classical sequence and one fourth place in modern sequence.

Pippa’s mum Marie and Molly’s mum Debbie Wilkinson said they were “so proud” of their daughters.

Marie said: “We are so pleased. A lot of hard work goes into it and a lot of time from Wendy who trains them.”

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