Oliver Dudman & Edith Flinders

Oliver began dancing when he was just 4 years old! Always showing talent from an early age, although to start with he did prefer to dance at the side of the floor and not on it as he was so nervous!  Once he built up the courage there was no stopping him! Oliver went on to become a UKA Blackpool Finalist aged 6, along with competing at the British open in Ballroom, Latin & Classical Sequence. Oliver met his dream partner, Edith, in May 2018, they were both 7, both from the Northeast, both extremely talented and both fully committed to achieving their goals. Best friends and Dance partners, its the best combination.   

Edith started dancing when she was 6 years old and competed solo for a year before she started the search for a boy partner. She went to Blackpool Tower and made the finals in all the Latin sections she entered but saw all the couples on the dance floor and wanted a partner of her own. She was looking for a year before she had a try out with Oliver in May 2018 which was a success. Edith and her family felt so lucky to have found such a perfect match so close to home and who shared the same level of commitment and have the same dancing dreams.   

How does it feel to be a DSI Elite Performer? "We are absolutely honoured to be sponsored by DSI, we wear our DSI Elite badge with pride at every event and competition and love going to head office in Croydon to visit the team for new designs."

Oliver and Edith started their dancing journey together in May 2018. In July 2019 they were crowned Under 10 UK closed Champions in Ballroom and Latin. Throughout the year they made lots of UK finals in both Ballroom and Latin. Oliver and Edith always wanted to be sponsored by DSI, in October 2019 their dreams came true when DSI offered them a sponsorship and for them to become DSI Elite Dancers. Oliver and Edith were absolutely honoured to be sponsored by DSI, Edith loves wearing the beautiful dresses and designs and Oliver loves that DSI always make new boys designs for juvenile wear. They wear their DSI Elite badge with pride at every event and competition and love going to head office in Croydon to visit the team for new designs. 

1. Top 30 in the Junior II Ballroom, The Open Worlds 2023 2. Top 12 in the Junior I Ballroom, The Open Worlds 2023 3. Top 41 in Junior Ballroom Championships, Blackpool Junior Dance Festival 2023 4. Top 17 Junior I FT Ballroom, Blackpool Junior Dance Festival 2023 5. Top 30 Junior Viennese Waltz, Blackpool Junior Dance Festival 2023 6. Top 8 in the North of England Junior Ballroom, Blackpool Junior Dance Festival 2023 7. Top 11 in the Under 14 Ballroom, WDCAL European Championships 2023 8. Top 41 in the Junior Ballroom, WDCAL European Championships 2023 9. Top 16 in the NL Junior Open Ballroom, South of England Championships 2023 10. 4th place in the Junior Rising Star Ballroom, South of England Championships 2023 11. Top 7 in the NL Under 14 Ballroom, South of England Championships 2023 12. 3rd place in the SL Junior WTVFQ Ballroom, Fylde Coast Festival 2023 13. Top 8 in the DL Open Junior Ballroom, The All England Open Championships 2023 14. 2nd place in the Under 14 Ballroom, The Star Ttiles 2023 15. 7th in the Junior Ballroom, The Star Titles 2023 16. Top 12 in the Junior Ballroom, Champions of Tomorrow 2023 17. 4th in the Under 14 Open WFTQ Ballroom, Champions of Tomorrow 2023 18. 14th Place in the Junior Ballroom Championships, British National Championships 2022 19. 2nd in the Junior FT Ballroom, Stoke on Trent Dance Festival 2022 20. 2nd in the Junior Viennese Waltz, Stoke on Trent Dance Festival 2022 21. 2nd in the Under 14 Ballroom, Stoke on Trent Dance Festival 2022 22. 4th in the Junior Ballroom, Stoke on Trent Dance Festival 2022 23. Top 27 in the Junior Ballroom, International Championships 2022 24. Top 20 in the Junior RS Ballroom, International Championships 2022 25. 2nd place in the Junior Ballroom, All England Festival 2022 26. 2nd place in the Junior Open Viennese Waltz, All England Festival 2022 27. 2nd place in the NL Junior Ballroom, All England Festival 2022 28. 3rd place at The Open Worlds, Juvenile Under 12 Ballroom, 2022 29. Finalists in the Juvenile Viennese Waltz, Junior Blackpool Dance Festival 2022 30. Finalists in the British Juvenile Ballroom Championships, Junior Blackpool Dance Festival, 2022 31. Finalists in the WDCAL Juvenile Ballroom Championships, WDCAL European Championships, 2022 32. NL Juvenile Open Ballroom Champions, South of England Championships, 2022 33. Vice Champions in the Juvenile Viennese Walts, The All England Championships, 2022  

Over the past year Oliver and Edith have remained focused on their dancing and their partnership, their determination to succeed has never disappeared. They have taken on new challenges and remained focused on their goals.   It has been super hard, and with a few disappointments along the way. Oliver and Edith had just found out that they were to represent Team GB in the Latin British Team Match.  To represent their country at just 9 years old was their proudest moment and you have never seen two children more excited and so proud of their achievements. But it wasn't to be in 2020 as the pandemic took hold and all competitions cancelled. However, it has made them stronger and determined to work as hard as they can to achieve this again in the coming years. For two 10 year old children from the North East they have done everything they can to keep dreams alive, keep practicing and dreaming of being able to get back on the dance floor!   Back in April 2020 Edith took part in an Online Charity Dance Competition for the Mental Health charity, Young Minds. The Online competition was run by Oliver's Dance teacher parents Lee & Natasha Dudman, so Oliver’s role was to assist with the running of the competition online. He did a grand job, helping with categories and admin! Edith took part, and had a great time preparing her Students Choice Dance routine where she made her own cardboard cut-out of Oliver to dance with! They have been lucky enough to take part in various online workshops with wonderful professionals who have guided and inspired them to keep believing and to do as best they can. They have learnt so much from these professionals and it really has been amazing to take a class with them. The workshops have been so inspirational to Oliver and Edith and they are so grateful for the opportunities.   Oliver and Edith have taken part in two Blackpool Online Festivals filmed by DSI TV. In the Autumn of 2020 they were crowned Champions of the Under 12 Boy/Girl Latin and the Latin Juvenile Open. It has been a really great experience competing with fellow competitors worldwide, although it's not the same as being in the wonderful Winter Gardens Ballroom it's the next best thing and they are so grateful for the experience given by Blackpool Education Consortium. It's also lots of fun watching our teachers run around with cameras following them!   In September 2020 Oliver and Edith were offered a Modelling Contract with Salt Model Management, this was their first time modelling and they thought they would try their hand at something new They absolutely loved the experience, and look forward to future projects. They have also taken up Ballet over the past year, to help with their training, improve posture, elevation and technique. They are loving it, and love the new challenge. Oliver has also taken up Hip Hop classes at his parent’s studios and is loving the new style and embracing new challenges.   TikTok has also played a big part. Dancing various TikToks and editing them together has been fun and when allowed to be together, it has been the best fun creating new routines! Edith also took part in a TikTok choreography collaboration with Dancer Kateryna Klishyna and Oliver decided to give Ian Waite’s footloose Jive Choreography a go and upload it for Ian to see. In addition to dancing, Edith has been taking MakeUp Classes online with Mial Beauty. This is one of the highlights of Edith's week, as she learns new skills and then practices all her different looks! This will certainly help Edith when she returns to Competitions and performances. Edith has also developed her art skills, spending her spare time learning new ways to draw and paint.   They can't wait to be allowed back to the studio after Lockdown 3, and are keeping fingers and toes crossed to be united with their dance friends and family back on the competition floor in 2021.   Oliver and Edith