A RUGBY stage school is dancing for joy after scooping an award and being nominated for another.
Jaide’s Stage Studios was awarded the Best Children’s Business in Warwickshire title courtesy of online event guide, Muddy Stilettos.
Some 100,000 people voted for the dance school, which provides free and subsidised dance education to disadvantaged and vulnerable children in the community.
Principal Jaide Ellery-Martin founded the school in 2000 when she was just 14 and registered it as a charity eight years later.
Jaide said: “We are over the moon to win such a unique award. We were first selected as finalists and never thought we would actually win this title, but so many people voted for our school and we can’t thank them enough. We are very excited and looking forward to collecting our award.”
The studio has also been named on a shortlist of just 34 for a Dance School of the Year Award, ahead of thousands across Europe.
Jaide’s was shortlisted by a panel of judges including entrepreneur Paul Haigney, former Royal Ballet Company dancer Francesca Filpi, and Angela Rippon CBE.
The awards were founded by Anne Walker MBE to celebrate the achievements of theatre dance schools who do not receive the recognition they deserve.
The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony which will be held at a glamorous black-tie event at the Woodbury Park Hotel in Devon later this month.
