Six-year-old ‘pocket rocket’ sets sights on becoming Strictly Come Dancing star

A fleet-footed schoolgirl dubbed “the pocket rocket” has her sights set on becoming a future Strictly Come dancing star after taking the dance world by storm.

Little Amelia Rose-Nelson has already waltzed away with an incredible haul of 295 medals and trophies despite being aged just six.

And she is now planning how to quick-step into a career performing among the stars on the top-rated Saturday night TV show.

The schoolgirl has inherited her nimble moves from mum Tanya Nelson, 40, who was also a dancer, but was left disappointed when her three eldest daughters and son failed to show any interest in taking to the dance floor.

Tanya, a carer, said: “I’ve got three older girls who are now 22, 21 and 19 and a son who’s 12 and I couldn’t get any of them to dance. But finally Amelia came along.

“From being able to walk, she’s had rhythm.”

Amelia joined a toddler dance group when she was aged two and started competing aged four.

Her trophy cabinet at the family home in Barnsley, South Yorks, is already creaking under the weight of 171 trophies and 124 medals.

Amelia said: “I love watching Strictly so much, I watch it every week and when it comes on I tell my mum and nan ‘that’s going to be me one day’.

“I love the dresses and the dancing and Amy [Dowden] and Dianne [Buswell] are my favourites

“I think Amy looks like a princess when she dances and Diane is really funny in the videos that show them practicing.

“I would love to be just like them when I grow up.”

Tanya, who lives with husband Dave, 38, added: “She simply lives for dance, it is her lifeblood. If she’s not in the studio, she’s practising at home.”

“She makes so much noise doing the jive upstairs but when I tell her off, she just says, ‘how am I going to win if I’m not practising?’”

Amelia, who attends the Karen Byron School of Dance, in her hometown, competes in both ballroom, and Latin with sequence, samba, jive and cha-cha-cha among her favourite routines.

She is the current under-six champion solo, the All England under-six champion for ballroom, Latin and sequence and she won the soloist championship for under-six Latin and sequence.

And last month she competed against 24 dancers in the under-12 category and made the finals finishing in 6th place.

Tanya said: “She wants to win every age category and be on TV. She’s determined to be on Strictly Come Dancing when she grows up.”

Dance teacher Karen said: “Amelia lives for her dancing and works extremely hard to be the best she can possibly be, always giving 100%.

“She has a bright future.”