Hucknall dancers have ballet dream come true

For Demi Ashmore (12) and Megan Singleton (18) will appear in a production of Nutcracker at the Nottingham Theatre Royal for three performances from 25 to 26 July with the English Youth Ballet (EYB).

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

Both Megan and Demi study dancing at the Sarah Adamson School of Dance, run by Sarah Teer at the John Godber Centre in Ogle Street.

She said: “It’s amazing for them. It’s the excitement of being chosen and then appearing on stage and working with professionals.”

Demi will play the role of a soldier and Russian dancer, while Megan will be a Snow Queen attendant and Arabian dancer.

The young cast are working with the EYB’s principal dancers at Emmanuel School 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.

British 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.”