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Mass. Teen Wins Gold At World Tap Dance Championships

NORTH ANDOVER (CBS) - A Massachusetts teen is celebrating an international victory - after winning gold at the World Tap Dance Championships in Germany.

It's a memory Kaiden Currie of Merrimac will cherish for the rest of his life. The 14-year-old freshman at Pentucket Regional won the junior male solo title, and also brought him three additional medals for his group performances.

The achievement comes as a sweet reward, for a whole lot of practice. Currie has been tap dancing since he could walk!

"I used to always sit in the corner watching my grandmother and mom teach (in Lynnfield). I just love being able to express all my feelings and leave everything out on the floor," he said.

Kaiden Currie
Kaiden Currie (WBZ-TV)

These days Currie trains 5-7 days a week at Nancy Chippendale's in North Andover. Kaiden's coaches say the teen is as good a person as he is a dancer.

"He is hard working. He's the nicest kid. Such a team player. He wants the best for his team," said coach Kelli Carberry.

Kaiden has competed on this world stage before. In fact last year his solo earned him 8th place in Germany. But this time when the music stopped, he knew it was different.

"Right as I finished my solo I started walking off the stage and I started crying," he said. "It just was the best I've ever done that dance. I felt so good about how I'd done and all the hard work; every day sweating, drenched, dying, about to collapse on the floor. It all paid off. That moment was the best of my life."

Although dance is his priority, Currie somehow also squeezes in time for soccer, basketball, and track. He hopes to become a dance teacher someday so that he can pass on his passion to future students.

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