Boys boost 'cool' craze for street dancing

More than 50,000 children, some as young as seven, are taking part in a street dancing craze which is sweeping London.

Eric John, who runs the UK Street Dance Championships which will take place in Harrow in November, said figures have soared this summer, adding: "It has escalated since [street dance groups] Diversity and Nemesis, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent.

"It has got lots of young boys and girls especially in the junior ages eight to 12 years old. It's more boys who have taken it up. It is the street side of thing that boys will do - they're certainly not interested in ballet or jazz."

Tejon Brown, seven, from Luton first took it up when he was four and last year was crowned under-nine street dance champion.

His mother Paula Terry, 33, a local government worker, said: "They see it as a bit more cool. Whenever there's a talent show he does his dance and they're all over him." Tejon, who attends the Hat Factory Dance School, said: "I'm pretty good now. We learn all sorts of different moves like waves, popping and a suicide drop which is when you flip over onto your back and the headspin. My mates at school think it is pretty cool."

Another rising star is Kate Oakman, eight. Her mother Sarah, 32, a cleaner from South Hatfield, said: "She can do up to two or three hours a day rehearsing trying to get her routines right." Kate said: "I'd like to be dancer when I grow up."