It was wonderful watching the Elmhurst School for Ballet Junior Associates open classes today.

We were very proud, and what a fantastic end to another very successful year with the Elmhurst Young Dancers Programme.

We wish to congratulate two of our eight-year-old students who, on their first ever audition, have been accepted as Junior Associates at Elmhurst School for Ballet.

Elmhurst School for Ballet, in Birmingham (in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet) is one of the top ballet schools in the country. Each year, thousands of children from all across the country audition for places on this scheme.

This means that, in the last three years, we have had five of our students accepted on to this prestigious programme. 

They will both continue to train with us alongside their classes in the Manchester region of the Elmhurst Associate programme.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the wonderful news that one of our eleven-year-old students is able to follow her dreams. After two rigorous auditions, and a nail-biting wait, we are delighted to announce that she has just accepted a full-time place at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, (formerly Arts Educational) in Hertfordshire, with a scholarship.

She will begin there in September 2017, and will study specialist vocational dance training alongside her academic subjects.

The school has produced some of the top names in film, TV and show business, including Dame Julie Andrews, Daisy Ridley, Jane Seymour OBE, Jessica Brown Findlay, Lily James and Sarah Brightman. 

Musicals (both West End and touring productions) are filled with their alumni, and students have gone on to illustrious careers joining companies such as The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet and English National Ballet.

We will be so sad for her to leave (especially, after having taught her from the age of five, as an absolute beginner). However, she has always had a very special gift, which has been apparent since her very first lesson, and we are delighted that she is going to one of the top performing arts schools in the country.

Congratulations to one of our students who has just accepted her place on the Moorland International Ballet Academy's Intermediate Enhancement Programme.

She was also offered a place to attend the ballet school as a full-time residential student in September, but chose the associate programme which means she will continue to train with us alongside these associate classes.

The associate enhancement programme is run in conjunction with the Vocational Ballet Programme at Moorland School.

Three students had a fantastic time attending summer schools this year:

Two students attended a week-long international residential classical ballet summer course. Daily classes were taught by Shannon Parker, Peter Parker (pictured), Errol Pickford and Olivia Pickford. The girls were particularly excited to be taught by Shannon and Peter after their great success on Britain's Got Talent earlier this year. The girls had daily classes in ballet, contemporary, repertoire, and workshops/masterclasses in Pas de Deux and commercial. The course culminated in an afternoon's performance.

Another student attended Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre's junior summer school. In the week-long course, she had daily classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Drama and Musical Theatre, with a performance on the final day.

​This afternoon, nine students enjoyed their very first workshop given by English National Ballet. The workshop was based on their current touring production of My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty.

The workshop took place on the stage of the Palace Theatre in Manchester.