A GROUP of Newport girls danced their way to top awards in a prestigious national contest.

The talented teens are pupils of Sian Rees, a teacher at Carol Good dancing school, which teaches modern, tap and ballet.

She took some of the school's 300 pupils to the Energy of Dance 2007 national dance competition in Dunstable on March 25 where they scooped several top prizes.

She told the Argus: "I took the girls up for experience more than anything.

"I was really surprised but very pleased with how they did.

"We had a wide range of choreography and varied our style."

Helena Machin, 17, from Bassaleg School, took first place in the 17+ contemporary dance category.

In the 13-16 modern group dance category, Bassaleg pupils Alice Urrutia, 15, Sophie Landers, 14, and Holly Beale, 14 also took first prize.

St Julians pupils Katie Porter and Georgina Berry, both 13, came second in the 13-16 jazz duet.

Olivia Huxtable, 11, came second and Shelbey Morgan, 12, came third in the solo jazz dance under twelve category.