Maci Taylor, 12
Maci Taylor (12 years old) used to feel embarrassed by her hearing loss.
But, Miss Ayling Ellis’s appearance on Strictly inspired her to wear her hearing aids proudly.
Maci, who is profoundly deaf, and has been dancing since the age of three, said: ‘I was really excited to see Rose win because it shows we can do anything we put our mind to. It is a great honor to be a part of the Deaf Community.
‘She has inspired me to focus and practise so that one day I can be as good as Rose and the Strictly professionals.’
From Gamesley in Derbyshire the ballroom and Latin dancing instructor said that other dancers at her school understand her disability better.
Her mother Kirsty Taylor, 35, said: ‘We’ve watched Strictly every single week and Maci was so excited when Miss Ayling-Ellis won.
‘She used to be quite embarrassed to be a part of the deaf community, she used to hate wearing her hearing aids and learning sign language.
‘But we’ve seen a big change in her since Rose has been on Strictly.’
Audrey Tyrrell, nine
Audrey Tyrrell (9 years old) loves to dance but found it difficult in 2018.
But, watching Miss Ayling Ellis on Strictly brought back her love for ballroom dancing. Audrey, moderately hard of hearing and wearing hearing aids, has won four contests before quitting.
The dancer, from Harwich in Essex, said: ‘Rose made me realise that anything is possible and that it was possible to go back to dancing and enjoy it again! I was screaming with excitement when she won.’
Her mother Tracey Tyrrell, 42, added: ‘We watched Rose every single week and it was amazing.
‘Audrey was shocked and said, “She’s just like me and she can do that”. We were both in tears.’
Audrey first started dancing as a child at five, but she gave up when it became difficult for her to understand the instructions.
Audrey received a video message from Miss Ayling Ellis this month, in which she expressed her happiness at having inspired her to dance again.
Lucie Heathcote, 11
Lucie Heathcote, 11, loves dancing and enjoys tap, modern, contemporary, street dance and acro-gymnastics.
Two cochlear implants were placed in her ears and she is now profoundly deaf.
Lucie is the only young deaf person in her dance school but Miss Ayling-Ellis’s success on Strictly has helped her teachers and friends understand the difficulties she faces when dancing.
Her mother Justine, 52, said: ‘It’s great seeing a deaf person out there showing the world how she has had to adapt and learn to count the beats of the music.’
Lucie, from Biddulph in Staffordshire, said: ‘I was super excited to see Rose win, she has inspired me to keep going and never give up. ‘I’d love to be a part of Strictly one day, Rose is such a positive role model’.
Maya Langley, nine
Maya Langley is nine years old. She has been dancing since age five.
Maya was deaf and had to be shocked when Miss Ayling Ellis appeared on Strictly. She was wearing a similar hearing aid to hers. Her mother Dayna Langley, 40, said: ‘Straight away when I told Maya [that] Rose was deaf she said, “I can’t believe they have a deaf person on”.
‘She was completely taken aback by that and how amazing Rose was.’
Maya, from Worcester, said: ‘I was so excited to see Rose dance in the final! It made me see that it’s possible to do anything.
‘It was so exciting because there aren’t many deaf people on TV shows that I watch and I like seeing other people on TV with hearing aids.’
Maya is no longer nervous about a dance show she’s performing in next month. Her mother added: ‘She sees the confidence that Rose dances with and realises… that she doesn’t have to be held back because she is the girl onstage wearing the hearing aid.’