A TROOP of Clydebank dancers will fly the Scottish flag as they take to the stage at the World Street Dance Championships this weekend.

A total of 19 dancers, ranging in age from three to 16-years-old, from April's Street Feet will take on the dance world's most elite hip hope dancers coming from far and wide to compete at the four-day-event taking place in the SECC.

The event, which kicks off today, features an Olympic style opening ceremony before pushing youngsters to their limits to determine the best in the world and studio owner, April Stuart-MacRae, has been working around the clock to prepare her girls for the big day.

The 23-year-old said: "It's a massive competition and that's what I'm trying to explain to my kids 'you have never been to anything this big before'.

"Last year it was at the SECC and every room was filled with dancers, it's insane but it's amazing.

"We have been cramming practices in, I've been in the studio from 10am to 10pm some nights and some of the kids who aren't back at school have been there a lot too.

"Our biggest competition has got to be the Americans - you should see some of the kids from New York and California they're unreal."

While the competition might make April nervous, she certainly can't say the same of her pupils who, as ever, have taken it all in the stride much to the shock of their teacher.

As previously reported by the Clydebank Post, the talented youngsters recently performed for the likes of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the opening of Scottish Parliament, before rushing home to take part in their annual Summer show at the Clydebank Town Hall - proving these tiny dancers can handle the pressure.

"I've had a friend in filming in studio and even with all the lights and cameras it doesn't faze the kids," the proud teacher said, "and he told me 'April your kids are so confident'."

"They're right up at the camera and he wanted to interview some of them and they were like 'I'll do it, I'll do it'.

She added: "They come in to the studio and it's flat out training but they love it and that's why they're so good and love coming in to do extra rehearsals because they love it."

And even April has placed her bets on one of her tots taking nabbing a top spot and she can't quite contain her excitement at the thought of having her very own Bankie world champion student.

She added: "I've got one little girl, Mylie, who is unbeaten and she's the one that I think could actually take it.

"I've got her a new solo and she's looking good but there could be a lot of Miley's in the world so I don't know but the thought we could have a world champion in my studio is so exciting."

The competition, which is hosted by UDO, kicks off tomorrow at the SECC and runs until Sunday.