Ballerinas chosen for Opera House show

Ella Latuske, eight years old studying RAD Grade 1, Ellen Foster 10 years old studying RAD Grade 2, Rebecca Runchman 13 years old studying RAD Grade 5 and RAD Intermediate Foundation and Olivia Novaes 14 years old studying RAD Grade 5 and RAD Intermediate Foundation all successfully auditioned with to join the company in the popular production.

English Youth Ballet (EYB), which was established 15 years ago, is a youth ballet company with a difference.

It is the only UK touring ballet company to nurture and showcase the talents of a 100-strong cast of selected young local dancers in its extensive classical repertoire.

EYB has seven superb international professional principal artists who dance the leading roles in the full length ballets and teach the young dancers.

English Youth Ballet will give the young dancers from the Clare Novaes Ballet School a unique opportunity to experience what life in a professional ballet company is really like.

It is an exciting journey from acceptance at the audition, to classes, challenging choreography, tough rehearsals and enjoyable performances in the theatre, which mirrors exactly what a dancer in a professional company experiences.

The EYB auditions take place four months before the rehearsals begin. There were two auditions on November 17 - the junior audition for 8-11 year olds and senior audition for 12 years upwards, each lasted nearly two hours. The audition took the form of a ballet class and was watched by the Director and an Associate Choreographer. At the end of the audition the numbers of the dancers who were accepted were called out and those on a reserve list were to be notified. The young dancers who were not accepted were urged not to be disappointed as everyone develops and improves at different paces as they grow up and there is always the next time.

Ella, Ellen, Rebecca and Olivia will be taking to the stage of the Grand Opera House on April 25 and 26. For further information or to book tickets log onto www.goh.co.uk.