YOUNG dancers at a St Albans secondary school have been celebrating after winning a prize in a national dance competition.

Pupils at Nicholas Breakspear School in Colney Heath Lane were described as “ecstatic and shocked” after winning the prize for the best concept and originality in the competition, The Rock Challenge.

School dance teacher Nerys Renowden came up with the idea of devising a number of set pieces which would raise awareness of asthma to support the Alex Curtis Trust – set up in memory of a former pupil who died after suffering a severe asthma attack.

She said: “We wanted to work with the Curtis family to help raise awareness of this condition in conjunction with the Alex Curtis Trust.”

More than 50 students were involved and they performed the dance in front of 3,000 people at the Rock Challenge – a national and international event which involves a five to eight minute dance drama performance choreographed by the teachers and students which was on the theme of asthma this year.

As well as winning the award for concept and originality, the school also won prizes for the best set design and the best video.