Alastair steps up to claim England tap dancing call

8:30am Friday 10th October 2008

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A TEENAGE tap dancer, who has danced since he was a toddler, has been selected for the first England team to compete in the Tap Dancing World Championships.

Sixteen-year-old Alastair Crosswell passed three gruelling auditions before being chosen for the 13-strong England team, trained by Tap Attack Youth Company, and he will compete in the championships in Riesa, Germany, in December.

The talented teenager, who lives in Charter Alley, said: “It was brilliant to be selected because there are hardly any opportunities for just tapping. It’s fantastic to be able to represent England.”

The Reading School pupil has taken part in various dance and tap dance competitions, including the Basingstoke Music and Arts Festival, and spends three evenings a week and Saturdays at the Beryl Jarvis School of Theatre and Dance, in Reading, and four hours on Sundays training with Tap Attack.

Speaking about his passion for tap dancing, the teenager said: “I love all the rhythms and being able to express myself. It’s more free than other types of dancing and you can kind of make up your own thing – modern dance and ballet are much more regulated.”

Alastair, who has two sisters at university, said he will probably choose dance college over university when he is 18, with his sights set on Bird College, in Kent, or possibly an American college.

The England dancers, whose ages range from 12 to 19, are entering junior and senior categories as a team and several members, including Alastair, are also performing solo routines.

Jo Scanlan, creative director at Tap Attack, said: “Last year, I was invited to visit the championships in Germany and they all asked me why didn’t we have a tap team at that time. The big stumbling block at the moment is funding, which is such a shame.

“The young people are so passionate and committed to tap dancing but we can’t find the funding to help them out.”

Anyone interested in sponsoring Alastair – who needs to raise £750 to cover flights and hotel costs for the week of the competition, shoes and costumes – or the team, can contact Mrs Scanlan on 07880 790004.