Local dancers star in ballet show

Toni Cairns (11), Holly Giles (9), Rebecca Moore (13) and Laura Needham (16) have been selected to appear in a new production of the Nutcracker at the Theatre Royal Nottingham later this month.

They successfully auditioned for their roles in March, beating off over 250 young hopefuls to land the incredible opportunity.

The girls will appear in three performances on 25th and 26th July with English Youth Ballet (EYB).

The young dancers in the cast will dance alongside EYB’s stunning international principal artists in a professional production, gaining an insight into what life is like as a professional ballet dancer.

They will appear as soloists and in the corps de ballet.

The young cast have been working with the EYB’s principal dancers at Emmanuel School in Nottingham in a 10-day intensive rehearsal process.

EYB is a professional ballet company and each rehearsal day commences with the company being split into three groups for company ballet class warm ups.

The rehearsal day continues with a complex timetable of different rehearsals running simultaneously in three studios at the school.

The ballet is gradually pieced together like a complex jigsaw.

At the end of each rehearsal day the whole company always gathers together in the main studio to show what has been learnt that day.

Principal artist Oliver Speers said: “There is such a wonderful team spirit in the young company.

“The young dancers we are working with in Nottingham have good technique and great energy.

“Working in a professional environment gives the students a unique insight into life in a ballet company. They are so lucky – I wish there had been something like EYB when I was training!

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

This production of the Nutcracker is an interpretation that promises Tchaikovsky’s music, new sets and costumes that vivdly create Clara’s dream of the Sugar Plum Fairy, The Nutcracker Prince and the mysterious Godfather Drosselmeyer.

For tickets - priced £15-21 - contact the box office on 0115 9895555 or visit www.trch.co.uk.