Mayo dance group to shine on TG4’s Glas Vegas

Mayo dance group to shine on Glas Vegas


Edwin McGreal

A YOUNG Mayo dance group will make their television debut this coming Sunday when they appear on TG4’s talent competition Glas Vegas.
‘Na Céimeanna Beaga’ (The Little Steps) are based in Ballina, and they dance with the Sylvan Kelly School of Dance, also based in Ballina.
The five Irish dancers are aged eight and nine; four hail from Mayo and one from Sligo.
The three boys in the group are Tommie McHale (Ballina), RónΡn Kelly (Ballaghaderreen) and Jamie Reape (Enniscrone). The two girls are Laoise Dunne (Westport) and Liadh McGrath (Pullathomas).
The Little Steps were one of over 900 acts that auditioned for the show last December. Ninety were subsequently picked for the series.
The first round of shows are run over ten weeks, with nine acts appearing each week – only one of which will be chosen to progress to the quarter-finals.
Each act is assessed by the trio of judges – well-known actor Padraig Breathnach, Ciara Newell from pop group Bellefire and 2FM DJ Evelyn O’Rourke.
Evelyn O’Rouke, who acts as mentor for The Little Steps, will be absent for Sunday night’s episode (she was maternity leave when the show was being filmed) – but last year’s winner Sibeal Davitt will stand in.
We won’t ruin the suspense, but let’s just say the group do well this weekend.
The show is broadcast on TG4 at 8.30pm on Sunday night and is repeated on Tuesday nights at 11pm.