A disabled dancer who performs on the West End using her crutches is fed up of trolls saying she "looks silly".

Sophia Adzoa-Moore, 25, has used crutches full time since 2013, after waking up one morning unable to walk.

She was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) in July 2024, which causes severe pain in her hips and joints, as well as fatigue and dizziness.

At the age of 18, she nearly quit performing to study backstage theatre production - as she didn't think she'd be able to dance on crutches.

But she decided to start applying to dance colleges throughout 2020 and 2021 - and after being accepted to the Performance Preparation Academy (PPA) in Guildford, Surrey, Sophia "hasn't looked back".

Sophia, a musical theatre performer, said: "I walk into the room and feel the attention on me like: 'Why is she in this dance class?' - but I’m good at what I do.

"Yes, sometimes me being different will get me in the room - but that means I'm giving disability representation.

"I do have talent - at the end of the day, I've got a musical theatre degree.

"But I'm learning that no matter what gets me in the room, I'm getting to do what I've dreamed of doing."

Sophia began taking dance classes from the age of three. At 10, she got to star in the West End Production of Billy Elliot.

She knew, even from a young age, how much she wanted to grow up to be a professional dancer - and her hope was to attend a performing arts college at 18.

But Sophia says her plans were almost scuppered when at 13, she woke up one day unable to walk due to severe pain in her left hip.

"I woke up one day when I was 13 and stopped being able to walk," she said.

"My mum took me to the GP immediately but it took a while to convince them that my problem wasn't hormonal or psychological.

"My left hip was painful, it felt really heavy, and I couldn't do anything."

After months of back and forth, Sophia’s GP finally referred her for an arthrotomy - a surgical procedure that involves making an incision into the joint to examine or repair it.

She underwent the operation on September 5, 2013, at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, - and for the first eight to 10 months was able to walk normally again.

But the pain in her joints and hip relapsed, leaving her back on crutches.

For the next six years, Sophia underwent five further arthrotomies and had five more relapses.

"It got to about 19 - I'd missed out on lots of school," she said.

"I saw a doctor about my hips, who referred me for a periacetabular osteotomy, which realigns the hip socket.

"It didn't work long-term - and it got to the point where it looks like nothing was working."

By the time Sophia reached university age, she'd realised she was likely to need crutches for the rest of her life.

She initially enrolled to study backstage production at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA), giving up on her life-long dream.

But just three weeks in, she dropped out, knowing it wasn't what she wanted to do.

Sophie said: "I didn't want to be backstage, I wanted to be on stage.

"The pandemic hit, and I started taking lots of online dance classes. I started to realise: 'Who's going to tell me I can't dance on crutches?'

"I thought I'd give it a go, and started sending audition tapes to these dance universities.

"I got accepted into the PPA, and I just graduated in July 2024."

Despite getting accepted into her dream dance school, Sophia says she kept having to fight "imposter syndrome" as a disabled dancer.

She felt rejected by others as soon as she walked into a room - and worried people would think she was accepted into the school just because of her disability.

Even now, with multiple West End shows under her belt, Sophia has to say daily affirmations in order to keep her confidence high.

"In October, I performed in an ensemble cast at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane," Sophia said.

"I had the time of my life - and I was so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people.

"But I worried I was only there because I was disabled - that's how I went in and felt."

In spite of her fears, Sophia says she's gone on to prove herself wrong and now feels the "sky is the limit".

Now she's conquered the West End, the dancer says she'd like to go on to do longer UK tours, movie musicals - and even become a back-up dancer for Beyoncé.

"Trolls tell me I'm only half a dancer, that I look silly," she said.

"But, I can move really fast on my crutches.

"I feel like the sky is the limit - I'd love to do a movie musical, like 'Wicked' - or dance back-up for a huge singer like Beyoncé.

"Or if Broadway wants me, I'll take that."