Broadview based dance studio shooting for the moon with Olympic dream

Aerobics and pompoms aren’t usually what you think of when it comes to the Olympics but one Adelaide dance studio hopes to cheer its way into sporting history.

Dancer Alessia Cardinale, front, leads the Team Australia dancers from the Empire Dance Studio at Broadview, have been selected to represent Australia at the ICU World Championships. Picture: Emma Brasier

The Tokyo Olympics may be over but a group of Adelaide dancers have their sights set on Los Angeles, or maybe Brisbane.

A recent International Olympic Committee decision granted the International Cheer Union – the international governing body for cheerleading – full recognition, making the sport eligible to petition to be included in future Games.

Owner of Empire Dance Studio at Broadview, Ryan Marveggio, who runs the dance school with his wife Angela, said the news was enormous for dancers creating a pathway to achieve their Olympic dreams.

“When it was announced, it was huge for our sport and huge for us at the studio,” he said.

“For our five or six year old dancers, they now know there’s a pathway for them to become an Olympian.”

Mr Marveggio said it would be incredible if cheerleading was included in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, especially with the city known as the home of the sport, but he said the 2032 games in Brisbane would also be amazing.

Dancers Alicia Cocca, Olivia Arancio and Angelina dePinto, front, and, back, and other Team Australia dancers from the Empire Dance Studio at Broadview, have been selected to represent Australia at the ICU World Championships. Picture: Emma Brasier

The International Cheer Union began its journey to be recognised by the IOC 11 years ago, and it received provisional recognition in 2016.

The dancers from the Empire Dance Studio, are already attracting attention on the world stage and have been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming ICU World Championships in October.

Empire, which was recently named best dance school in the state, has a team of 18 dancers – aged 13 to 16 years old – selected to compete as ‘Team Australia’ in the junior Poms section.

There are 140 countries taking part in the event and there is yet to be a team from Australia to take home a gold.

“The ICU World Championships are held every year in Florida but this year (due to Covid) it’s will be live-streamed, virtual competition,” Mr Marveggio said.

“The closest Australia has ever got was a team from Melbourne winning silver at the 2019 ICU World Championships.”

Mr Marveggio is hopeful Empire can change that in October and that success can help flame an Olympic dream in the studio’s students.