Two young dancers from Onchan have achieved a third consecutive double title win at the 68th Blackpool Junior Dance Festival.

Evan O'Dea and Lula-Belle Findlay, both 15, retained their titles as British Junior Modern Sequence Champions and British Junior Classical Sequence Champions for the third year in a row — a rare feat accomplished by only one other couple in the festival’s 67-year history.

This year’s competition was held in the Empress Ballroom at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, where the children had the opportunity to perform to live music by the Empress Orchestra

The talented duo’s dancing journey began at the age of four, with the pair now dancing exclusively together for 12 years.

In addition to their individual achievements, Evan and Lula-Belle captained and led the Isle of Man team to victory in the national team match, who won outright for the very first time.

The pair are students at the Jayne Hill Dance School, where they have been guided and mentored by her.

The pair commented: ‘We are so lucky to have Jayne as our coach, as she’s always supported us and pushed us to be our best.

‘She’s more than just our teacher.’

The duo have received a nomination and have been invited to attend the British Classique De Danse Awards in August 2025, a prestigious event hosted by Dame Angela Rippon CBE.

Before that, they will also be performing closer to home, taking to the stage for the upcoming Shirley Ballas ‘Strictly Manx’ show in the island, alongside some of their fellow competitors.

A spokesperson from the Jayne Hill Dance School commented: ‘As they continue to inspire younger dancers on the Isle of Man, Evan and Lula-Belle have proven that a shared dream, dedication and a strong friendship can lead to extraordinary success.’