The sky's the limit for young dance champ Jaycee

Six-year-old Jaycee Rose Tighe only started competing 12 months ago with Kim Thompson’s dance school ‘Team KT,’ in Chuter Ede, but has managed to dance her way to world level.

The youngster, from Wenlock Road, Simonside, South Shields, took on dancers from across the globe during the World Freestyle Dance Championships in Blackpool last year.

Jaycee, who does freestyle and lyrical slow dancing, delighted her teacher Kim Thompson and mum Tina Pennock when she came in first place in the under-six starter solo category of the international competition in June.

This wasn’t her only success, as Jaycee also came fourth when she competed in the solo section of the national Disco Kid competition in December.

Jaycee, whose sisters Rio Wilson, 17, and Kayla Tighe, 10, also danced at Kim Thompson’s school, travels to competitions with her mum and with the school, which regularly puts coaches on for competitions further afield.

Proud mum Tina, 37, said she was delighted with her daughter’s nomination in the Best of South Tyneside Young Performer category, which is a credit to Jaycee’s hard work.

Tina, a waitress at The Crab Shack in South Shields, said: “The nomination has come as a surprise, but she has done so well and I am so proud of her.

“I take her to competitions week in week out and she dances three or four times a week in both private lessons and classes.

“Dance opens a lot of doors for the kids, it helps them develop social skills and keep fit.

“Her teacher Kim is like a second mum to the kids.

“Jaycee has only been competing for a year now but has gone from a beginner to a champ.

“She won the under-six starter solo section at the Worlds last year, which is an amazing achievement.”