Young Rotorua dancer Avani Bourne gains experience, placings in Australia

Avani Bourne, 7, with her awards from the Nationals Follow Your Dreams Dance Competition in Melbourne. Photo / Supplied

A young Rotorua dancer has achieved amazing results at an international dance competition in her first year of competitions.

Lakes Performing Arts Company student, 7-year-old Avani Bourne, competed in the National Follow Your Dreams Dance Competition in Melbourne, Australia earlier this month.

She competed against students from all over Australia and New Zealand and was awarded second in her own choreography and third in musical theatre.

She qualified for the national competition because she had won the Follow Your Dreams Tauranga Regional competition.

She competed in Australia from January 3 to January 9 and was accompanied by her mother, brother and nana.

Avani says she had felt surprised and proud when her placings were announced.

She says she had felt nervous to start with but it felt good to be out on the stage at the competition, and she made new friends there.

"I like expressing myself when I'm doing my dancing."

Avani's mother Karla Bourne says the experience of the competition was absolutely amazing.

"It was a really positive environment. They have fun and it is big on sportsmanship and involving the families."

She says Avani made a lot of friends and the level of dancing at the competition was amazing.

Karla says the announcements of Avani's second and third placings were mind-blowing.

"It was surreal and we were completely humbled by it.

"We wanted to go to give her the experience of that level of competition, and it is only her first year of competitions, so we didn't expect two top three placings."

She says Avani was in shock at the announcements, had a look of surprise on her face and was so excited.

"She turns into this different character on stage. She just glows and takes on the personality of her character."

Karla says a normal week of dancing for Avani includes two class lessons, tumbling lessons for her tricks and three practices for her competition dancing.

"She was training so hard before she went to Melbourne."

Karla thanked the community for their support in getting Avani to the competition, and thanked St Michael's Catholic School for giving Avani use of the school hall to train in so she could practice after school and in the weekends.

She also thanked Avani's competition dance teacher Zara Matthews and the Lakes Performing Arts Centre for support and sponsorhip.

Karla says they did fundraising online and held some raffles to help get Avani to the competition, with lots of support from the community and St Michael's Catholic School.

"We know we couldn't have got to Australia without the support of everyone."