North East performers Lily and Joseph make it through to the FINAL of The Greatest Dancer

On Saturday, February 29, contestants Lily Straughan, 11 and eight-year-old Joseph Chow performed in the semi-finals on the popular BBC One show.

The former Girls Aloud star and dance captain Cheryl had previously picked the pair as one of her top three acts, securing them a place in the competition's live rounds. The pair danced for the first time on the live shows, on Saturday, February 1.

Competing to win £50,000, a chance to perform on Strictly Come Dancing and to be crowned The Greatest Dancer champions, contestants perform a different routine based on a set theme each week.

This week, the judges chose the theme for their dancers. And for Lily and Joseph, Cheryl chose ‘childhood dreams’.

On Saturday’s show, the audience saw footage of Lily and Joseph back in the North East with their families at a local ice-cream parlour, where Lily playfully mocked Joseph for always ordering vanilla ice-cream, saying it’s ‘boring’ before they tell their parents that winning would be a ‘dream come true’.

Back in London, in the dance studio, the pair were seen discussing their latest performance with Cheryl, who told them: “Childhood dreams is what I think about when I look at you.

“When I was little I was always dancing and dreamed of being a ballet dancer.”

Lily said: “When I was younger I wanted to be a princess” and Joseph said: “I always wanted to be a pirate.” The pair said their latest performance would be inspired by ‘what we wanted to be when we were tiny little people.’

Cheryl added: “I had that dance passion when I was younger, and now I get to live my dream vicariously through them.

“I feel a lot of different emotions.”

Dancing to A Sky Full Of Stars by Coldplay, the performance included a scene with silver stars with Lily dressed like a fairy princess and Joseph dressed as a pirate. The scene depicted a true childhood dream, and like many of their performances, was filled with smiles and a joyful enthusiasm.

Todrick Hall, another of the dance captains, said: “Every week I’m swept away by the adventures you take us on with your choreography” and went on to day that they have inspired so many children to dance and their presence on the show is so important.

Oti Mabuse said: “As kids you remind everyone of their inner child” and she also went on to console Joseph, who had fallen during the performance, saying her carried on like a professional.

While Matthew Morrison said: “You’re living your childhood dream right now, and you’re inspiring so many young boys and young girls to dance.”

Cheryl consoled Joseph about his fall during the performance, saying: “It happens to people at the top of their game.” She then went on stage to give the duo a hug.

Backstage with presenter Jordan Banjo, Lily said: “The audience was amazing and we’re so grateful for this opportunity.”

They received a scored of 87.1% from the audience, but it was down to the public to decide who should leave. Hannah and Brothers of Dance were the two acts to leave the competition this week.

We can see more of Lily and Joseph on BBC One on Saturday, March 7 when the remaining four acts will dance in the live finals.