Strictly star Amy Dowden back in Dudley ahead of competition
After dazzling audiences with her fancy footwork as a Strictly Come Dancing professional, Amy Dowden has returned home to the Black Country ahead of a major competition this weekend.
The 26-year-old, who runs Art in Motion Dance Academy in Dudley alongside partner Ben Jones, took to the Strictly dancefloor with celebrity partner Brian Conley late last year.
The pair made it to week five before waltzing out of the contest. Amy joined the hit BBC show as one of three new pros dancing with famous faces.
And today she will take some of the youngsters from the dance school to Blackpool for the prestigious Champions of Tomorrow showdown.
Speaking to the Express & Star, she said: “Even while I was on Strictly I would return to the school and it would still be running.
“When Strictly finished on December 16 I came back and got the children working hard.
“We had a big party afterwards and Brian [Conley] said he will come and visit us in February, which will be fab.”
The Champions of Tomorrow competition takes place at the Empress Ballroom Winter Gardens and sees participants compete in Ballroom and Latin American segments.
Amy first started dancing at the age of eight and is currently the British National Champion and one of the highest-ranking Ballroom and Latin American professional dancers in the UK.
She is also a four-time British National Finalist and in 2015, she reached the semi-final of the World Championship.
She said: “We’re really proud of all the children and can’t wait to see what happens in Blackpool.”
The academy was set up by Amy and Ben last April and has gone from strength to strength, with around 60 children from the ages of four to 18 coming through the doors each week.
They also run social classes for wedding lessons and Zumba sessions.
Amy, who is originally from Caerphilly in Wales, continued: “We are very family based. I love it here in Dudley, it is my home now, but of course I miss Wales.
“Over the next year we want to see the dance school get bigger and better and continue to progress.
“This has been mine and Ben’s dream for years. Strictly was an incredible experience, I loved every minute of it.
“None of the professional dancers know whether they will be back this year or not yet, but we will watch this space.”
For details visit the dance academy website.
