From Blackpool to the National Stage: Local Dancers Take Flight with Sadler’s Wells National Youth Dance Company

We’re bursting with pride at House of Wingz as we celebrate the incredible success of three of our homegrown dancers. Dylan Dennis, Orson Crane, and Blake Rainey secured places with the prestigious Sadler’s Wells National Youth Dance Company (NYDC).

All three began their dance journeys with us at just eight years old, accessing training through school and council-funded initiatives, proving just how vital local authority and educational funding is when it comes to opening doors to arts and culture for young people. Without these essential community programmes, many talented young people simply wouldn’t get the chance to discover or nurture their creativity.

Over the past decade, Dylan, Orson, and Blake have each received bespoke support, mentoring, and training through House of Wingz, with two of the boys receiving full scholarships for the entirety of their training, helping them grow not only as dancers but as young artists with the confidence to pursue their dreams.

Their journey with NYDC began when they, along with several other House of Wingz crew members, attended a workshop delivered by NYDC as part of the 2024 Capital of Dance Festival. Soon after the workshop, they were invited to audition in London. All three smashed the audition and were offered coveted places on the national programme.

Since joining, they’ve attended intensive residencies, training alongside 33 of the UK’s most promising young dancers and working with the internationally renowned Boy Blue Hip Hop company to create an original production called ‘Gravity’. The piece is currently touring the UK and will head to Berlin this September for the Tanztreffen der Jugend festival.

“This opportunity has given the boys new perspectives and has helped them grow as performers and as artists. Their development is so impressive and we feel incredibly proud of how they’ve grasped this opportunity. We know they have a strong foundation on which to build exciting creative futures, and we look forward to supporting their journeys and celebrating their wins.”— Samantha Bell Docherty, Mentor and Dance Teacher, House of Wingz

The Capital of Dance Festival supported by Blackpool Tourism BID, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and Arts Council England as part of Blackpool’s Place Partnership Programme - also platformed the NYDC’s powerful production of ‘Gravity’  live on Blackpool’s iconic Comedy Carpet on Saturday 5th July. With parents, grandparents, friends, and the wider community watching on, Orson, Dylan, Blake, and the rest of the company delivered an outstanding performance under the iconic Blackpool tower.

“I was moved to tears watching them. It was a full circle moment for me, not just in feeling exceptionally proud of the boys and their journey, but also proud of myself and Sam and the part we have played too. It is important for our local community to see that there is opportunity like this in Blackpool, it helps to build aspirations in other young people . As I watched them dancing, I could still see them as little boys, full of big dreams. And it really reminded me that believing in young people makes such a huge impact on their lives ”— House of Wingz Mentor Aish Bell Docherty.

House of Wingz, believe every young person deserves the chance to express themselves, to be seen, and to dream. That’s why we offer free dance sessions to young people in Blackpool and create clear pathways from exploration to development, and ultimately to employment in the creative industries. We know that arts and culture can change lives and these three talented young dancers are living proof of that.

We’re so proud of Dylan, Orson, and Blake and we can’t wait to see what they do next. We hope their story inspires more young people in Blackpool to believe in their dreams, and inspires more people support ours and other local arts organisations to ensure those dreams have the chance to take flight.