Meet the 6-year-old ballroom dancing champion competing against adults

By Ella Nunn via SWNS

Meet the ballroom dancing national champion who is already competing against people twice her age - and dreams of being on Strictly when she's older.

Amelia Rose Nelson, six, has been dancing for as long as she could walk.

Nicknamed the "pocket rocket" she competes in around 40 different dance tournaments a year and has a grueling training schedule.

Specialising in ballroom, Latin and sequence dancing, she's already been crowned the All England Champion aged four and under-six champion at the English Open Solo Championship.

Her proud mom, Tanya, 40, a carer, from Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire said: “If any music came on, she’d be dancing.

“Even from a young age, you could tell she heard the music, could follow the beat - I knew she was going to be something special.”

When Amelia was two, Tanya enrolled her for mother-toddler classes at Karen Byron School of Dance, where three generations of her family have now trained.

At the age of four, Amelia began competing - and danced in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

She specializes in ballroom, Latin and sequence dancing and has already won numerous awards and titles over her two years of competing.

Other titles she's scooped include under eights’ Champion of Champions and under eights’ Champions of Tomorrow.

Tanya said: “She’s unstoppable - she’s so passionate and she’d live in a dance studio if we let her.

“If she doesn’t win a competition, she’ll be so mad with herself. She’s so competitive and loves to win.”

Over a year, Amelia competes in around 40 different dance tournaments.

Now she's competing in under-12 tournaments and consistently reaching finals alongside dancers twice her age.

Tanya said: “She’s competed the last nine weekends in a row - we’ve got three weekends off now and she’s absolutely fuming.

“She’s just so determined - her nickname, given to her by another dance mom, is ‘pocket rocket’.

“You might think ‘oh, she’s only six’, but she’s just unstoppable.”

Each week, Amelia attends four-and-a-half hours of dance classes - two-and-a-half hours of private lessons, and another two hours of group teaching.

Tanya said: “She has so many friends from other dance schools - that’s what I like, she’s competing with other people but they’re all friends as well and it’s a very supportive environment.

“It’s such an amazing experience for her.

“In the future, I couldn’t see Amelia not doing anything dance-related - I think she’s going to end up quite famous. She’s very special.”

The six-year-old would love to compete on Strictly Come Dancing when she's older and is a fan of professional dancer Amy Dowden.

Regarding the ongoing scandal currently plaguing the TV show, Tanya said ballroom and Latin dancing is "tough to do and learn", and added: "But if violence is being used and people are getting kicked, then I don't think the professionals should be allowed to teach".

She said: "With Amelia, I like that she has discipline - I like how she gets pushed to be the best she can be.

"I also love how her dance teachers do this while also making her believe in herself, making her more confident and making her the best version of herself while she also has the best time while learning.

"I believe no matter what age you are, that's how it should be."