An aspiring ballerina from Chadderton is celebrating after gaining one of only 12 places available at a world-renowned ballet school in London.
Eliana Tse, 11m has been offered a place to train at The Royal Ballet School.
Based at the historic White Lodge in Richmond Park, scchool is widely regarded as one of the top training ballet schools in the world and has produced ballet stars such as Darcey Bussell, Wayne Sleep and Francesca Hayward.
Eliana started ballet at seven, attending the Janet Lomas School of Dancing.
Formerly based in Blackford Bridge, Bury, the school has moved classes online since the pandemic.
Eliana said: “I am very excited to go to the Royal Ballet School.
“When I’m older I would like to be a professional ballet dancer and the excellent training at the Royal Ballet School can help me to achieve this.”
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Mum Janice said: “To achieve what Eliana has at such a young age is just incredible and we are super proud of her.
“We would like to thank her dance teacher Miss Johanna of the Janet Lomas School of Dancing for the excellent teaching and has been so encouraging and supportive of her journey to get into the prestigious Royal Ballet School.”
Eliana went through three tough audition rounds in Manchester and London including full-day auditions, ballet classes, physiotherapy assessments and interviews.
This year, there were more than 1,400 applications for the Royal Ballet School’s White Lodge and Upper School from across the world, with only 12 spaces available for girls in year seven.
Offered a place at each school she auditioned for, Eliana had to choose between offers at the Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst Ballet School and Tring Park School for the Performing Arts.
Ballet teacher Johanna Hadley said: “From her first ballet classes, I could see that Eliana had a very special gift for ballet.
“She has continued to work hard and dedicate herself. We couldn’t be more proud of what she has achieved.”
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After two years of ballet classes, Eliana auditioned for a place on the Royal Ballet School’s Junior Associate programme.
She was successful in her audition and trained in this specialist programme for three years in once-a-week classes with Royal Ballet School tutors, alongside her regular training with the Janet Lomas School of Dancing.
In 2022, Eliana was selected to attend the Royal Ballet School’s Summer Intensive.
At the end of the week-long residential course, she received the prize of a Direct Entry Award to this year’s Royal Ballet School Summer Intensive 2023.
Eliana will begin in year seven at the Royal Ballet School in September and will train full time, specialising in classical ballet.
While at the school, Eliana will continue her academic studies alongside her vocational ballet training.
Eliana will also have the opportunity to perform, such as alongside the Royal Ballet company on the stage of the Royal Opera House in London.
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