Lisburn dancer warms up for team performance in LA
Lisburn teenager Sofie Magowan is getting ready to dance with Elite Team NI at the Dance Excellence festival in LA later this year.
Each year there are around 31 countries represented at the international festival.
Dancers will take masterclasses from top industry master teachers and choreographers in the entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Dancers and studios will also have opportunities to showcase their routines at DEX showcases, and also in Universal Studios, Hollywood on the famous Citywalk Stage.
Sofie (15) has been dancing for 12 years and is passionate about the art form.
"I fell in love with dancing when I went on stage for the first time for my ballet showcase and saw a big audience in front of me and got to perform for them all,” Sofie explained.
The Lisburn dancer began training at the Susan McMillan Ballet School when she was just three years old and she now trains with Active Dansa in Lisburn.
"Active Dansa made me fall even more in love with dance,” Sofie said. “My studio has such a comforting and loving environment which let's me and all my teammates do our best.”
Sofie dreams of becoming a professional dancer and that dream came a step closer when she was selected to join the prestigious Elite Team NI for their trip to LA in April.
"When I was selected for the Elite NI Team, I couldn't help but start jumping around the room and planning out exactly what I would do in LA when we went,” Sofie admitted.
"Going to LA has always been something on my bucket list, and going for representing Northern Irelands top dancers is something I still can't wrap my head around.
“I can't wait to be with all my team and explore one of the most influential cities with everyone.
"The Elite Team NI has been rehearsing a lot and learning choreography that we'll perform in LA.
"The routines we are doing are very special, and I feel they represent Northern Ireland extremely well.
“All of the dancers in the team are from across Northern Ireland, so every dancer has something different about them, which creates a dynamic routine when we perform."
The team have been busy trying to raise money for the trip and they are calling on local businesses to help with sponsorship.
This project will cost just over £3,200 per person attending and there are 18 amazing dancers, nine parents, and three coaches going on the trip.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the costs. A donation can be made online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/elite-team-ni-dance-excellence-2025.
Businesses interested in sponsoring the team can also get in touch with the organisers through the GoFundMe page.
Looking forward to her LA experience, Sofie added: “All I can say is how excited I am to be flying over to LA and meeting people from all over the world, to take workshops from industry professionals, perform, and just celebrate dance together in a welcoming environment showing the world the talented dancers we have here.”