SIX young Newport dancers will be joining the English Youth Ballet's Cinderella in Hollywood, which is being staged at the New Theatre Cardiff on August 19 and 20.
Ellie-Mae Connors, Charlie Beth Smith, Myles Duggan, Lily Pearce, Ava Stratford-Davies, Kaylina Colley were selected to join EYB after a competitive video audition earlier this year.
They are currently experiencing the life of a professional dancer in rehearsals and will perform alongside international professional dancers in the production.
Myles Duggan is 15 and attends Rougemont School in Newport.
He is training at the Sophia Leong Dance Academy.
Myles Duggan
He said: “I started dancing and performing at four in my local Stagecoach. I did many auditions for films and musicals. My first TV performance was on BBC Crimewatch when I was five.
"It’s the best feeling ever to perform on stage and to bring happiness to others. Team work is important when performing as a group, being focused, dedicated and learning from each other.
"When I’m with EYB I hope to develop my skills and learn from others especially the professional dancers. I want to enjoy the experience especially after being through lockdown.”
There will be three performances of Cinderella in Hollywood and the lavish production will star six international principal dancers and showcase the talents of 70 young dancers from the local area.
Set in the glamorous era of 1950s Hollywood movies, this production draws its inspiration from the film star Grace Kelly who met Prince Rainier of Monaco at a press party and later married him.
Cinderella is a seamstress on a film set and the Fairy Godmother is her late mother - a former movie star of the 1930s. Her wicked sisters are Hollywood starlets competing with each other for starring film roles. The Prince meets Cinderella at the press party but at midnight she flees from the scene leaving a sparkly silver pointe-shoe as the only clue to her identity.
The cast was selected after more than 150 young dancers auditioned.
By the start of the run they will have rehearsed for 60 hours over 10 days of rehearsals at weekends at Fitzalan High School in Cardiff.
Janet Lewis, director of EYB, said: "The cast have shown great enthusiasm and excitement in their rehearsals so far. The children are obviously so pleased to be back dancing again and taking part in a ballet that they love.
"The cast are working hard not only on their ballet technique but on their performance quality that expresses the part they are dancing. The incentive is to be back performing again in the theatre.”
For tickets contact the Box Office on 0343 310 0041 or go to www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here