Sunderland ballet dancers selected for Sleeping Beauty performance

Three ballet dancers from Wearside have been selected to dance at English Youth Ballet’s (EYB) performance of Sleeping Beauty.
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Isabella Auty, 12, Martha Templeton, 12, Lucy Welch, 13 all from Houghton-le-Spring and Grace Wheeler, 12 from Sunderland have been selected to perform at the show at Darlington Hippodrome next month following a video audition.

Over 150 dancers auditioned for the chance to perform on stage for the show, and the girls are among 76 local dancers taking part in the show.

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Isabella and Lucy both train at ZAZZ and Martha and Grace train at Sara Ellen School of Dance are all excited to be part of the cast where they will perform alongside international professional dancers.

(from left to right): isabella Auty, Lucy Welch, Grace Wheeler, Martha Templeton(from left to right): isabella Auty, Lucy Welch, Grace Wheeler, Martha Templeton
(from left to right): isabella Auty, Lucy Welch, Grace Wheeler, Martha Templeton

Lucy who attends Argyle House School in Houhgton-le-Spring said: I” started dancing when I was 4 because I watched my friend in a dance show and thought it looked amazing.

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"The best feelings about being a dancer are the excitement before going on stage and the feeling at the end of the dance when everything has gone well. I think it is an amazing experience to rehearse and dance with English Youth Ballet and I’m so excited to be part of it.

"I have danced at the Royal Albert Hall, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Blackpool Tower and Disneyland Paris.”

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EYB Principal Lyndsey Fraser who will star as Aurora in the production previously danced with the Vienna Festival Ballet said: “I wish I had danced with EYB when I was young. The dancers learn so much about performance skills and the artistry of ballet.

"I love working as a principal dancer with EYB because I get to dance fantastic roles and teach and watch the young dancers progress. The sets and costumes in the production are superb and the whole experience is one the young dancers (and the audiences) will never forget!”

The young cast have spent 60 hours over 10 days of rehearsals at weekends at Hummersknott Academy preparing for the show. The young dancers are some of the top talents from the local area.

The show will take place at Darlington Hippodrome Friday 10 – Saturday, 11 June.

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