More than 20 youngsters have been busy practising their waltzes and jives ahead of the Strictly Brackley Town Juniors competition.

In total, 21 young stars from the Brackley area have signed up for the brand-new Strictly Come Dancing-style competition.

The dancers will take part in six weeks of training with the Joanne Banham Dance Company (JBDC) at Syresham Village Hall before taking to the stage at Brackley Leisure Centre on Sunday, November 22.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to Freddie’s Future, a Banbury charity supporting children and families affected by bone cancer, and Katharine House Hospice, JBDC’s chosen local charity for the year.

The young dancers and their partners taking part in Strictly Brackley Town Juniors.

placeholder image — The young dancers and their partners taking part in Strictly Brackley Town Juniors.

Each participant, aged between eight and 16, has been paired with an experienced junior dancer from JBDC.

Together, they are learning individual routines in ballroom and Latin styles, including the cha-cha, jive and Viennese waltz, alongside a group performance.

Despite training only beginning this month, the young dancers have already exceeded expectations with their fundraising efforts.

Joanne and the JBDC team set each participant a target of raising £150, but the group has already raised more than £3,800.

The young dancers are being put through their paces by experienced performers from the Joanne Banham Dance Company.

Organiser Joanne said: “They’ve pretty much all done it already and a lot of them have raised a lot more than £150, which for juniors is really impressive.

“They’ve all done that on their own time with their own families, in their own way, however they’ve chosen to do that.”

The event aims to give the children an opportunity to build confidence, develop new skills and make friendships while supporting two important causes.

Joanne described the first training session as “such a joyful and inclusive session”, adding that it was wonderful to see the youngsters connect through dancing and get to know each other in a different environment.

The young dancers brushing up on their waltzes and tangos ahead of the big night.

“To see them all connect, not just through dancing but also just making friends and enjoying a different environment was amazing,” she said.

“This will be an amazing experience that we hope they will take with them for the rest of their lives!”

Some participants have never danced before, while others have but are new to ballroom and Latin. Their training and performance routines have been selected to give everyone a suitable challenge.

Freddie’s Future was introduced to the group during its first training session, helping the youngsters learn more about the charity and the families it supports.

Katharine House Hospice has been supported by JBDC throughout the year, with Freddie’s Future added as a second beneficiary for the special event.

Joanne said: “I try and support a local charity every year for the whole year and then for our big events we add an additional charity.

“Many people in our community have been affected by the good work Katharine House Hospice does, so it’s great to give something back.”

The organisers hope the inaugural junior show will become an annual fixture in Brackley, following the enthusiasm shown by participants and their families.

Joanne and the dancers have also received a message of support from Strictly Come Dancing stars Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley, with Graeme’s Brackley connections providing inspiration for some of the youngsters taking part.

For more information about the event, including how to buy tickets, visit: https://www.jbdancecompany.co.uk/jbdcevents

To donate to the Freddie’s Future fundraiser, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/team/strictlybrackleytownjuniors2026