THEY have barely had a dance lesson between them.

But now five friends are making their bid to win a hit dance talent TV show.

Acro dance group Synergy, from Southampton, are in the live finals of Sky 1 HD’s Got To Dance.

Matt Flye, 25, from Botley, Senga Howells, from Ashurst, Jessica Smith, 22, from Eastleigh, Charlotte Franklin, 18, from Shirley and Ellen Stafford-Watson, 16, from Bitterne, will take to the stage next month to compete for the £250,000 prize.

Senga, 22, said: “It’s surreal and unbelievable we have got this far and that we’re going to be on television in front of millions of people.”

They are all members of the Southampton Gymnastics Club, based on the Redbridge School site, where they have been training together for more than ten years.

All have competed at national level in gymnastics and Senga competed for Great Britain when she was 16, though all but one had retired from competition when they formed Synergy six months ago, specifically for the competition.

The second series of the programme, hosted by Davina McCall, has seen 2,300 acts whittled down to just 28, who then compete live in front of judges Diversity choreographer Ashley Banjo, former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt and Tap Dogs star Adam Garcia for the public vote.

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Synergy’s routines combine dance and gymnastics and Senga, a legal assistant at a law firm, said she hoped that people in Southampton would pick up the phone if they liked what they saw.

“We want to show that gymnastics can be dance as well, and it’s like you see it on television, with somersaults and dance in between,” she said.

But when they first auditioned back in September, Synergy, who will donate a share of the prize money to their gym club if successful, held out little hope of progressing because of their lack of formal dance training.

“We just thought we’d see how we got on,” said Senga.

Matt, who works for Hampshire County Council’s financial assessment and benefits department, said: “Because we’re gymnasts, not dancers as such, we were worried about what they’d think.”

They were told that they had made it to the final 28 back in December, with their semi-final to air on February 20.

The group has been practising eight hours a week for their new routine, which is more difficult than before.

Matt said: “It’s a big risk for us – it’s live television so anything can happen.”

Senga added: “We’re competitive, but not cocky.”

Got To Dance, Sky 1HD and Sky 1, Sunday at 6pm.