Mia Linnik-Holden and Andrei Toader to return to World Dance Championships in Paris

Mia Linnik-Holden and Andrei Toader

Middleton sensations Mia Linnik-Holden and Andrei Toader have danced their way to return to the World Dance Championships in Paris between 8-10 December.

Last year, the talented duo, who have been dancing together since May 2015, were ranked amongst the top 10 worldwide in the U19 Ballroom dance at the Championships, placing 10th in the U19 Ballroom and 13th in both the World U16 Latin and Ballroom categories and 38th in the World U19 Latin.

The teenagers recently competed in The International Championships and will be dancing at the British Nationals in Blackpool in November.

Mia, who began dancing when she was six after asking her parents for lessons, enthused: “It was an amazing two days at The International Championships: we came sixth in Latin and second in Ballroom.”

She added: “Thank you to our coaches, sponsors and families.”

Mia and Andrei visited the Rotary Club of Middleton to update the club on their activities, give a display of their Rumba dance, and to ask for help again for the trip to Paris.

Mia’s mum, Maxine Holden, said: "Myself, Mia and Andrei are really grateful for all the help, support and encouragement we have received over the years from the Rotary Club of Middleton. Their help with funding for competitions has been invaluable. We really appreciate it, thank you."

With less than 12 months left for the dedicated duo from Middleton to perform as juniors, Mia and Andrei have racked up the titles this year, retaining their champion crown at the North of England Junior Ballroom Championships for the second year running and placing as vice champions at the UK Closed Championships.

The pairs also won the U16 Ballroom and Latin at Heritage Ball at the Tower Ballroom, placed first at the Quick Quick Slow Dance Awards in Junior Ballroom and first in Junior Ballroom and Latin at Classique de Danse Awards.

In April, Mia and Andrei also featured in ‘Baby Ballroom’, a 5Star documentary centred around the lives of child ballroom dancers in the UK, and even took part in an intense training course in Bari, Italy with some of the world’s top coaches, such as Goran Nordin and Joanna Leunis – Mia’s “personal inspiration”.

Their achievements for 2017 also include: consistently placing between first and eighth place in the junior categories (ages 12-16) at the Junior Blackpool Dance Festival, runner-up titles at 10 Dance Stars Championships, runner-up titles in U16 Latin and Ballroom at both Stars of a Future Championship and Oxfordshire Titles, fifth place at the 2017 British Junior Ballroom, second place in both U16 events at Staffordshire Championships, double winners at both the Central Open Event and Champions of Tomorrow, winners at City of Manchester U16 Ballroom and Latin, and champions of U16 Ballroom and Latin at the English Classique Awards.