Rochdale’s Got Talent winner Xela presented with grand prize

Xela Mills receiving her £1,000 prize voucher from John Swinden from J & D Alexander jewellers

Talented 11-year-old dancer Xela Mills has been presented with the grand prize after winning the Rochdale’s Got Talent competition 2020.

With over 2,000 votes, Xela, a member of Turners Dance Studios, was named the winner of the contest in early June, and was presented with her prize on Saturday 27 June – a £1,000 jewellery voucher for J&D Alexander on The Walk.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/134925/dancer-xela-wins-rochdales-got-talent

Paul Ellison, who organised the contest with Sam Kutereba-Wall, said: “A huge congratulations to Xela, a massive thank you to John Swinden for donating this fabulous prize, and thanks to Jo Nixon of Perfect Balloons for the wonderful bespoke balloon.

“It has been a fantastic competition, which saw us raise £8,375 in total for Springhill Hospice. Thank you to everyone who took part in this fabulous event.”

Xela, who signed to professional talent agency LW Kids Casting earlier this year alongside four of her Turners colleagues, decided to enter the contest after both she and her mum, Claire, had seen it online.

They decided it would be a great way to stay occupied during lockdown, as Xela typically spends four hours a night at Turners, six days a week. 

A student at Castleton Primary School, Xela went over the choreography with her dance teachers from Turners via Zoom, as she knew the routines from her classes, before devising and learning the final dance in just two days.