BRISTOL teenager Mitchell Hodges his retained his Irish dancing crown as national American champion in his age group.
Mitchell, 16, a pupil at St Bernadette RC Secondary School, flew out to Chicago for the contest, which attracted dancers from all over the world.
He told the Post: "I'm delighted to have won, really ecstatic. It makes all the practice and training worthwhile."
Mitchell, who won the Search for a Star talent contest at the Fry Club in Keynsham a few weeks ago and was runner-up in the world championships in Belfast earlier this year, won the under 16 category in the competition.
He spent a week in the Windy City with his dance teacher and three other dancers from his studio.
During the contest, he had to perform in two pieces – using "heavy" shoes in the first and a more athletic style in the second.
He was chosen as the winner after being short-listed and performing his showpiece – one of the pieces he performed at the Search for a Star final.
Mitchell said he loved America and loved the experience of going there for the competition.
"I went there last year and loved it and loved it again this year," he said.
Mitchell is taken by his mum to dance lessons in Birmingham three times a week – a round trip of about 200 miles – and they usually do not get back home until after 11pm.
He has just finished taking ten GCSEs and revised for his exams while travelling in the back of the car.
Mitchell, who lives in Hengrove, not only practises his steps but also does weight training to build up the muscles which help him to kick and jump. As well as travelling to Birmingham, he also practises in a shed which his dad, Paul, converted into a studio at the bottom of their garden in Kinsale Road.
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