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The teenage hip-hop dance troupe from Cambridge, known as Elementz, are hoping to hit the big time - Stateside!

They've recently qualified in the UK National Hip-Hop Championships and now need to raise £5,000 to compete in the World Championships in Las Vegas.

But the troupe of 15 to 17 year olds have humble beginnings. Young choreographer and founder, Lindon Barr explains: "It all started back in September 2006 when three of us got together for a competition called UK Unsigned… and since then we've gone from strength to strength.Ìý We've come third in the "hip-hop-hop" South East Championships as well as third in the UK Championships - which has now guaranteed us a place in the World Championships in Las Vegas."Ìý

It may look fun but it's exhausting work being a dancer and it's not easy to follow a dream, as Ailee McCaig, who's trying to juggle schoolwork with her passion says:
"It's very hard but any spare time you've got, you just get your homework done. But there are loads of times I've missed deadlines for coursework and it's just really stressful... but it's what you wanna do so you just get on with it really."

Henry Russell is a dancer and full-time student and is lucky enough to be one of the troupe members to have been given a scholarship to train at the Cambridge Theatre School at Bodyworks Dance Studio.

"A lot of people don't get scholarships. If they can't afford to come they don't get the chance to experience this, which is a real shame because there's probably a lot of talent that gets missed out."

The challenge now is for the troupe to raise £5,000 for a flight to the World Hip-Hop Championships in Las Vegas in August 2008.Ìý All members say it will be a dream come true - to represent their country in front of millions - on worldwide television.Ìý

But it won't be easy.ÌýLast year an estimated 4,500 dancers from around the world fought for international bragging rights at the competition. But at least the last winners came from East London - an indication that there is perhaps a pool of UK-grown talent - maybe even in Cambridgeshire!