AN Oldham dance and cheer club has won big at its first national competition.

Four teams from Air Athletic Cheer & Dance, which had never competed before, took part in the UK Cheerleading Association (UKCA) national championships earlier this month and won an array of prizes.

Founder and head coach Natasha Barker, 34, from Royton, said: “For the teams to place where they did is just amazing.”

The club won third place in the Level 2 Group Stunt Junior Category and the Level 1 Teenie Tiny Pom category.

The club also achieved second place in the Level 2 Junior A Pom Dance category and came fourth in the Level 2 Junior B Pom Dance category.

Natasha teaches at the club along with two other professional dancers who are all members of Fever Elite Cheer & Dance in Salford and have competed at international level, winning European cheerleading championship titles.

Natasha started dancing at the age of four at the renowned Marianne Jepson School of Dance in Oldham before attending the Jean Griffiths Academy of Dance in Royton.

She has previously danced for clubs including Oldham Athletic and Leeds Rhinos and started working as a dance teacher in 2015 before taking time off to have her son in 2019.

In February 2020 dance classes were meant to resume but got cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

The classes then came back ‘bigger and better’ in June last year at a new base in Shore Edge Methodist Church on Buckstones Road.

Natasha said: “Cheerleading shows on Netflix have created publicity for cheerleading in the UK. People did have misconceptions about cheerleading but now realise it’s a very physical sport.

“We are getting more members every week and aim to have athletes attend the World Cheerleading Championships in America.”

Natasha, who also has a degree in Childhood Studies, became a dance teacher to combine her passion for childcare with dance.

She added: “I also wanted to provide more opportunities for young people that weren’t there when I was starting out. I don’t want anyone to be held back and want young people to feel confident and empowered.”

Natasha has called feedback the club gets from parents ‘heart-warming’.

“One parent said, ‘I think it's down to groups like this and the sheer amount of time, dedication and love you all put into it that young children blossom,’” Natalie said.

The club, which is supported by a One Oldham fund from Action Together, aims to keep membership fees as low as possible and also offers uniform sponsorship.

Air Athletics has also provided funding for five athletes to complete their cheerleading coach qualifications.

The club is next competing at the Incredibly Cool Events (ICE) competition next month.