DARLINGTON Dance Festival may become the only nominated qualifier round in the region for a national competition.

The All England Dance Association is considering the event, which takes place at Carmel RC College, as a selection point for one of its six regional finals.

There are at present no nominated festivals in the North- East or North Yorkshire. This year’s Darlington event will be assessed by an adjudicator who will decide if it is suitable.

Paula McIntyre, dance secretary, said receiving nomination status would be a real coup.

“I was really pleased we have been given this chance,” she said. “It would be brilliant for Darlington, as it is mostly big cities which have nominated festivals.

“If we get this, I think we would be the only one in the North-East to have nomination status.

“It is the first year I have organised the dance section and I can’t quite believe it.”

The festival became part of Darlington Festival for Performing Arts in 1935. This year it has updated its programme to include hip-hop and other contemporary dance styles.

Individual categories include ballet, freestyle, song and dance, tap, modern and character.

There are also group and dual events in various classical and modern disciplines.

Paul Wyatt, treasurer for the All England Dance Association, said: “If the adjudicator says it should have status, March 2010 could be a qualifier for the 2011 competition.

There are 60 nominated festivals for the competition across the country.”

The All England Dance Competition was founded in 1923 for amateurs, children and students. It is a registered charity, affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals.