SIX dance students have been enjoying 'The Broadway Experience' after jetting off to New York for a once in a lifetime trip.

The youngsters spent eight days at a musical theatre summer school.

Maddy Radin, 17, Ella Clarke, 16, Lucy Blackshaw, 14, Bella Romani, 14, Ella Player, 13, and Claudia Silcock, 14, joined others from the USA, Canada, Japan and Italy on the 'The Broadway Experience' programme.

They have enjoyed classes with choreographers, musical directors, singing and acting coaches, as well as performers, who have shared their expertise and experience of performing on Broadway.

The six students have been learning to dance at Footloose Theatre School in Sandymoor and AT School of Dance since they were five.

They regularly attend classes covering a range of dance styles and have set their sights on becoming 'triple threat' performers in songs, dance and acting.

AT School of Dance principal Karen Speers and her daughter Carla, principal of Footloose Theatre School, took their first students to launch 'The Broadway Experience' summer school 10 years ago.

They have since seen a number of them go on to train at top dance colleges in London and appear in the West End, on cruise ships and at the English National Ballet company.

Karen said: "The students benefit so much from this intensive training they receive.

"In all the years I have been taking students I have never been able to find another programme that compares to this, either in the UK or in New York, it is the best."

Karen and Carla accompanied the youngsters with fellow dance teacher Sophie Lishman.

The students got the chance to see a Broadway show as well as some of the famous sights of the Big Apple during their stay.