Poppy Downing is 17 and a full time dance student at Kings International Ballet Academy in Leicestershire, where she studies Ballet, Contemporary and Technical & Commercial Jazz.

 

“My favourite style is ballet. I love classical ballet because it’s been what I’ve loved to do forever and it’ll always be a part of who I am. However, I also love the neo classical style because it allows me to dance more freely and bring out the sassy performance side of my personality.”

 

“The best dance related advice I’ve ever been given is to ‘put my blinkers on’. When I go into an audition or important class I ‘put my blinkers on’ and just focus on myself. In the words of Vivian Greene ‘Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass it’s about learning to dance in the rain’.” Inspired by her mum, Poppy has been dancing for 13 years and her goal is to gain a place in a ballet company.

 

Poppy not only enjoys her dancing but has also been studying for her A-Levels the past 2 years!

 

Poppy, we are thrilled to have you as an ambassador and look forward to following your dancing dreams.

Keesha Ramkelawon from Derby is 15 and a student of First Stage Dance and Theatre Academy, where she studies Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz and Commercial. In additional to her regular classes she also attends Elmhurst, Tring Classical Ballet and Ballet Theatre UK associate classes.

 

Inspired to dance as a young girl by watching a video of Margot Fonteyn, Keesha is a self-confessed ‘bunhead’. “My favourite style is Ballet, I can’t explain why I love it so much, it’s just in me and my happiest times are when I’m dancing ballet. My proudest achievement to date would definitely be performing the Big Swan duet in Swan Lake Dreams with the Birmingham Royal Ballet.”

 

Although having almost 10 years of dancing experience it’s Keesha’s goal to still be dancing at 90. "I try to use every set back as an inspiration to work harder." Only another 80 years to go Keesha!

 

Keesha, we are thrilled to have you as a 2020/21 ambassador and look forward to following your journey.

Ester Cameron is an artist with Ballet Theatre UK. Having recently celebrated her 21st, she is our oldest ambassador and also our only ambassador who is not in training.

 

“Dancing for me is a way of expressing emotion and getting lost inside a character you are playing - almost becoming a different person. I feel I can switch off from what’s happening outside the studio and concentrate on something completely different.”

 

Ester trained at The Hammond School of Performing Arts and The School of Ballet Theatre UK. At Ballet Theatre UK she recently got to perform the role of ‘Odile', the black swan, in Christopher Moore’s UK tour of ‘Swan Lake.’

 

Ester is also self-confessed ‘crazy plant person,’ with over 80 tropical houseplants at home!

 

Ester we can’t wait to see you in your next performance!

Originally from Lagos in Portugal, Francisca is 16 and a full time dance student at Kings International Ballet Academy in Leicestershire, where she studies Ballet, Technical and Commercial Jazz, Contemporary Dance, Drama and Singing.

 

Francisca recently performed at the Algarve Dance Open not only collecting one first and two second places but was also awarded a scholarship to attend the Joffrey Ballet’s Summer Intensive.

 

“My favourite dance style is Classical Ballet, the foundation for any other type of dance… it is lovely because it can transmit so many emotions through simple movements, and the combination of dancers, choreography, music and emotions is so powerful.”

 

Francisca also loves to play the cello and the piano and is studying A-Level Psychology!

 

Francisca, we are excited to have you as a founding ambassador and look forward to watching you live the dream.

Billy Ellitts from Wolverhampton is 14 and a student of Jordon School of Dance and Performing Arts where he studies Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz and Acrobatics.

 

“I’ve been dancing for 5 years and it means everything to me… I watched Billy Elliott and said ‘Mom I want to be like him!’ I have two amazing ladies in my life, my Mom and Grandma and they continually inspire me to follow my dream.”

 

“My proudest achievement to date is winning a gold medal at Dance World Cup. It’s not always easy to stay motivated when the challenge seems too tough but I tell myself, I didn’t come this far to go back where I came from. The best advice I’ve been given is ‘Be yourself at all times. Don’t be afraid of nothing or nobody’. My absolute dancing dream is to be a choreographer.”

 

Billy is also very proud to have a twin.

 

Billy, we are excited to have you as an ambassador and look forward to watching you live the dream.

Isabella Prince is 10 and our youngest ambassador this year. She is a student of the Elite Academy of Performing Arts where she studies Ballet, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Street and Acro - she definitely has a passion for all things dance and even finds time to attend Elmhurst, Ballet Boost and Staffordshire Youth Ballet associate programmes!

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Isabella dreams of a career on stage. "I love acting, singing and dancing and one day would like to be a professional in the West End or on Broadway. My proudest achievement so far is being runner-up in the TDCI British Championships in Blackpool for my song and dance."

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"To keep myself motivated I tell myself I can't do it yet, but I will be able to soon and eventually I do. My dance friends continually inspire me. I am very close to them all and I am always amazed at what they can do and achieve."

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Isabella, we are delighted to have you as a 2020/21 ambassador and look forward to following your journey. Live the dream!

Theo Rose is 16 and a full time dance student at The Hammond School in Chester, where he studies ballet, jazz, modern, tap and contemporary alongside a full GCSE curriculum.

 

As a youngster, Theo just couldn’t stop moving so his mum enrolled him in dance classes and as they say… the rest is history!

 

Theo’s favorite style of dance is Jazz and acro. “Dance means everything to me, it’s all about expressing yourself, relaxing into just being you… the best dance advice I’ve been given is: Dance isn’t about just tricks and flicks it’s about the soul and why you actually love to dance.”

 

Theo also loves to sing, act and model and thrives on trying out lots of new things!

 

Theo we are thrilled to have you as a founding ambassador and look forward to watching you live the dream.

Verity Marlow is 17 and a full time dance student at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, where she studies ballet, jazz, modern, tap and contemporary alongside a full GCSE curriculum.

 

Verity recently played the lead role of ‘Sandra’ in a short story ballet called ‘Carnival’ with the National Youth Ballet, which is her proudest achievement to date. “I was so blessed & humbled to have 2 solos and a Pas de Deux choreographed for my by the wonderfully Richard… it was a dream come true!”

 

“My goal is to become a principal dancer with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company; I love and admire their pioneering work evolving ballet with such a theatrical and dynamic story telling approach!”

 

Verity also loves surfing and regularly ‘dances among the waves’…

 

Verity we are delighted to have you as a founding ambassador and look forward to watching you live the dream.

Fabrizio Scattone is 11 and a student of Elite Academy of Performing Arts where he studies Ballet, Modern, Street, Contemporary, Tap and Jazz. He is also trained by Warren Bullock (ZigZag Dance Factory) and Jack Beale in Ballroom and Latin and very occasionally has the opportunity of a Latin lesson with Shirley Ballas – wow! And if that isn’t enough, he also attends Elmhurst associate classes and takes Gymnastics lessons.

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Originally inspired by his mum, Fabrizio has been dancing for over 5 years. “Dance just makes me happy. Modern is my favourite style, it’s really fun and it comes naturally. My proudest achievement so far is entering the championships in Ballroom and Latin at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool and coming 3rd. I have also taught myself how to do the splits during lockdown.”

 

Also, Fabrizio really loves pigs… but definitely not to eat!

 

Fabrizio, you are full of ‘get up and go’ and we are incredibly pleased to have you as a 2020/21 ambassador and look forward to following your journey.

At 10 Annabelle Handley is our youngest ambassador, but with 8 years of dance experience she is no beginner. She is a student of the Elite Academy of Performing Arts where she studies ballet, tap, theatre craft, modern, contemporary, jazz and street dance!

 

Annabelle’s favourite style of dance is ballet; “I just love ballet and being part of a team where everyone has an important part to play. I would love to become a professional ballet dancer and my dream is to dance the Nutcracker.”

 

Annabelle also loves to make all different types of slime - her favourite is sparkly glow in the dark slime!

 

Annabelle, we are thrilled to have you as a founding ambassador and look forward to following your dancing dreams.

Originally from Belfast, Luc Burns is 17 and a full time dance student at Kings International Ballet Academy in Leicestershire, where he studies Ballet, Technical and Commercial Jazz, Contemporary Dance, Drama and Singing.

 

Luc has been dancing all his life, playing various roles in theatrical productions, including Cats, Oliver and Billy Elliot where he first found his love for ballet.

 

A passionate storyteller, Luc’s ambition is to become a principal in a ballet company, a teacher of dance, a performer and actor. “Dancing means everything to me – I just have passion to move when I hear music or a rhythm, I feel free and love the idea of storytelling through movement.”

 

For all you Game of Thrones fans, Luc was also a white walker child in Game of Thrones in 2014.