Wigan dance star inspire mum's new business

A youngster’s passion for dance proved to be the inspiration for her mother’s new business.
Amanda Hellman and her daughter Leonie, 11, outside the LCH Dance ShopAmanda Hellman and her daughter Leonie, 11, outside the LCH Dance Shop
Amanda Hellman and her daughter Leonie, 11, outside the LCH Dance Shop

Eleven-year-old Leonie Hellman started dancing a week before her third birthday and is now preparing to compete in the Dance World Cup in Portugal next week as part of Team England.

It was her twinkle toes that led to her mother Amanda Hellman opening a dance shop.

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Mother-of-four Mrs Hellman, who lives in Shevington, said: “Leonie has been home-schooled for such a long time and she is starting high school in September. She will be going part-time because of her dancing.

“I thought I would like to do something. I have worked for myself in the past and I didn’t want to work for anybody.

“Dance is my life now - I’m a proper dance mum. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

LCH Dance Shop is named after her talented daughter - Leonie Chardonnay Hellman - and is located on Ormskirk Road in Pemberton.

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Mrs Hellman, 43, said: “She has done so much with dance and there is nothing in the area at all. I thought I would bring it here and it’s doing brilliantly.”

The shop sells a range of clothes for dance, ballet and gymnastics.

Leonie was, of course, at the official opening and other relatives were involved in painting the shop to get it ready.

It was officially opened by Danielle Simpson and her dancing daughter, known as Little Aleah, who appeared in television show Dance Mums UK.

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Mrs Hellman says she was a housewife before, but now she is busy running the shop.

She did not have an interest in dance before her fleet-footed daughter found her passion.

Mrs Hellman said: “I was into horse riding.

“I took Leonie on a Saturday morning for an hour dancing and I saw potential in her.

“Now we are at one of the top dance schools going.”

Her older daughter will step in to run the shop when she travels to Portugal for Leonie’s dance contest.

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Leonie, who attends The Vale School of Dance in Stockport, will represent England as they compete against 49 countries in the Dance World Cup, which starts on June 27.

She competed last year, helping the team win a silver medal, but they hope to go one better this time.

Mrs Hellman said: “I think Team England will win this year. It’s a better team and they have got a lot stronger.”

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