South Queensferry siblings fly the flag for Scotland at Dance World Cup

Sam and Nell Payne have been selected to dance for Team Scotland and Team UK at the prestigious event, which will see more than 8000 dancers from 65 countries compete over the course of ten days from June 27.

The dynamic dance duo will compete with their fellow competition dancers from the Fife-based Centre Stage Performing Arts in six group events.

Sam and Nell will also perform a duet which has never been staged before; Nell will perform in an additional small group dance while Sam will take to the stage for his very first solo too.

Nell (9), who is a P5 pupil at Echline Primary School, began dancing when was she just three years old.

As a member of the the Central Scotland Ballet School, she enjoyed classes in ballet, ACRO, jazz and tap. She moved to JHM Dance and Cheer in Broxburn 18 months ago, as she also wanted to take cheerleading classes and she joined their competition team.

Nell also successfully auditioned to take part in the Beyond Broadway production of Grease at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh in summer 2022.

Sam was there to cheer her on, with their parents Hazel and Tom and big brother Rory (15). And the performance encouraged Sam (11), who is in P7 at Echline Primary, to take up dance too.

Hazel said: “There were a lot of male parts in Grease and I think that inspired Sam. He enjoyed doing acrobatics and gymnastics before but it dawned on him that boys could do dancing too!”

Initially, he also joined JHM Dance and Cheer but didn’t land a place on the competition team. However, both he and Nell successfully auditioned for the Beyond Broadway production, Bring It On, at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh last summer.

And in August, Nell and Sam secured places in the competition team at Centre Stage Performing Arts which meets regularly in Kelty and Rosyth.

The school submitted audition tapes for the Dance World Cup and was delighted that their team secured six group dances.

Nell and Sam also put forward an audition tape, performing as Barbie and Ken, with the hope of landing a duet spot – which they duly did, securing second place in Scotland with their routine.

Sam was over the moon to then also land a solo slot at the competition.

They’ll now be practicing five to six days a week, ahead of the Dance World Cup – a ten-day event in June and July – at which they’ll be cheered on by their proud parents, Hazel and Tom, and brother Rory (15).

Hazel said: “We’re very proud of them both; they’ve done incredibly well. It’ll be lovely to see them together on stage – although they'll drive us mad rehearsing it!”

With the Team UK tracksuit alone costing £250 per dancer, the Paynes hope local firms may sponsor the pair.

Hazel added: “The sponsor name appears on the tracksuit, as well as on the website and social media. We’d be delighted to hear from any firms that might be interested.”

To find out more, email [email protected].