The UK Young Dancer culminated in a live final on 7 September, in The Clore Studio at The Royal Ballet and Opera House. The winners and runners up are below.
The UK Young Dancer, which launched in 2023, is a non-profit initiative designed to discover and nurture the most promising young dancers across the UK. The competition was divided into two separate competitions – The Leanne Benjamin AM OBE UK Classical Young Dancer 2025 and The Dame Arlene Phillips UK Theatre Young Dancer 2025.
In the Finals, dancers showcased their talent and versatility through two performances in both the Classical and/or Theatre competitions. Participants performed a pre-choreographed routine taught during the Top 100 Workshops, as well as a free solo chosen entirely by the performer. Both performances were presented to an invited audience, allowing dancers to demonstrate their artistry and connection to the choreography.
The Winners and Runners up were as follows:
Classical
Winner – Bruno Cokelis, aged 14 from Masters of Ballet Academy, London
Runner up – Millie Wyatt, aged 15 from Academy Theatre Arts, Worcester
Runner up – Megan Jarvis, aged 14 from AACTS, Chatham
Theatre (14-16)
Winner – Cooper Filby, aged 15 from A2 Arts Performing Arts Academy, Hove
Runner up – Jaimee Obeng, aged 15 from Graham School of Dance & Theatre Arts, Bishop’s Stortford
Runner up – Noah Morgan, aged 14 from Merge Dance Company, Taunton
Theatre (17-19)
Winner – Erin McShaw, aged 18 from The BRIT School, London
Runner up – Ellie Harle, aged 18 from Academy Theatre Arts, Worcester
Runner up – Leonardo Scafati, aged 18 from ArtsEd, London
For more information on UK Young Dancer, visit ukyoungdancer.com.
