Dancers selected for prestigious ballet group

Dancers selected for prestigious ballet group

19 March 2014

FOUR young dancers have been given the opportunity of a lifetime after being selected to perform with the nationally acclaimed English Youth Ballet.

Sara Kelly, Rebekkah and Caroline O’Hare and Ellen McCaughey have been offered roles in Sleeping Beauty after being talent spotted during a round of auditions for the magical production, which will be presented at The Grand Opera House from April 25–26.

They won the opportunity to join the show’s principal dancer, Australian Amy Drew, on stage by impressing a judging panel that had to choose the best dancers out of a group of 300 of the region’s most talented young dancers.

The young cast is already engaged with the professional dancers in rehearsals at Methodist College Belfast for a 10-day intensive rehearsal process.

Ms. Drew, said the local girls had been selected for the show because of their great “energy and attack.”

“Working in a professional environment gives the students a unique insight into life in a ballet company,” she said.

“They are so lucky – I wish there had been something like English Youth Ballet (EYB) in Australia when I was training.

“I feel very privileged to be a principal with the EYB as I get to work with some of the UK’s most talented young dancers. I find them incredibly inspiring.”

Twelve year-old Sara Kelly, who is a student at Down High School and is training at the Nicola Campbell School of Ballet, said she started dancing when she was just five.

“I only do ballet – I just think that ballet is magical,” she said.

“I am really looking forward to being with English Youth Ballet and getting to perform in front of lots of people. When I grow up I would like to work in dance.”