SEVEN talented young dancers from the Stourbridge area are a step closer to realising their dreams - having been chosen to perform with the English Youth Ballet.

Katie Gwinnell, aged 14, of Stourbridge; Faye Hyde, aged 15, from Kingswinford; Holly Westwood, aged 15, of Wall Heath; Siena Smith, aged 12 of Romsley; Amy Stringer, aged 13, of Kingswinford; Rubie Marsden, aged ten, of Kingswinford, and Amelia Morgan, aged 13, of Wall Heath, are set to dance in the EYB’s professional double bill production of Nutcracker Suite and Ballet Études.

The aspiring stage stars, who beat off tough competition from more than 200 hopeful dancers at auditions in May, are currently in rehearsals for the show which will run from September 29 to 30 at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre where they will dance alongside international principal dancers – Phillip Tunstall, Monica Tapiador, Samantha Camejo, Amy Drew and Oliver Speers.

Teenager Faye Hyde, who attends Summerhill School and dances with the Karen Yates School of Dance, said she was “looking forward to learning different styles of choreography and performing with EYB”.

Equally excited are Kinver High School pupil Katie Gwinnell who attends Springs Dance Academy; Haybridge High School pupil Siena Smith who attends Richardz Dance and Fitness; and Summerhill School pupils Amy Stringer and Amelia Morgan, who both attend the Gwynn School of Dance. Amy also goes to Stourbridge Dance Academy.

And it has been a double whammy for the Rachel Dixon School of Dance this year - as two pupils Holly Westwood, a student at Summerhill School, and Rubie Marsden, who attends The Glynne Primary School, are among the 100 top young dancers selected to perform with the EYB which has proven a springboard for many top UK dancers to progress onto careers with some of the world’s greatest ballet companies.

EYB director and founder Janet Lewis MBE said: “EYB is all about providing extra performance experience to young dancers.”

Tickets for the show can be booked online www.grandtheatre.co.uk or from the box office on 01902 429212.