A THRIVING dance group wowed shoppers today as its purple-clothed performers hit the high street.

More than 150 children from growing Kendal school Dance Atikk performed at the town’s Elephant Yard to prove that what they lack in years they make up for in skills, enthusiasm and strength in numbers.

Dance tutor Lucy Everett, of Kendal, set up the group two years ago to give youngsters a taste of street dance and a knowledge of classical skills – and she took her young proteges out to strut their stuff at the weekend.

She said the group’s growth had left her ‘stunned’.

“My life is dance – it’s as bad as that. I’ve been passionate about it from a very young age,” she said.

“I wanted this school to be run my way, with an ethos to give children a grounding in classical dance and also make it lots of fun for them.

“The kids are fantastic - we thrive together and when it comes to performances they work extremely hard. Some are going on to study dance, lots are taking it for GCSEs.

“I’ve tried to make the group like a family and the different age groups get along really well.

"Younger children really look up to the over-16s and the teenagers go out of their way to look after the smaller group members.”

This summer Dance Atikk has had performances at Kendal’s Party in the Park, Sedbergh Gala, the Tokari School of Dance, in Kendal, Dukes Theatre, Lancaster, the Coronation Hall, in Ulverston, and The Lowry, in Manchester.