A TALENTED young North East dancer and choreographer is to have her work performed at London’s Royal Opera House after impressing a distinguished panel of judges.
Seventeen-year-old Ellis Saul is one of 12 young dancers - and the only one from the North East - to be selected for a prestigious scheme run by Youth Dance England in partnership with the Royal Ballet School and Royal Opera House.
The successful dozen were picked from a shortlist of 53 for the Young Creatives scheme which is designed to develop the skills of budding choreographers.
It means Ellis, from Blaydon, will work with top-flight dance professionals and attend the Royal Ballet School’s White Lodge residential school for an intensive week-long course.
She will also have a professional mentor to help her develop her dance and choreographic skills.
It will culminate in a dance show in the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Studio Theatre when pieces by all 12 chosen youngsters will be performed.
Ellis is in the sixth form at Dame Allan’s Schools in Newcastle where she is studying dance, psychology and biology.
Through the school she has also done pre-vocational dance training at Dance City in Newcastle with a view to establishing a career in dance.
Ellis said she applied to the Young Creatives scheme in November and then attended an audition at the Royal Opera House at the end of the month.
It was her first visit to the famous venue in London’s Covent Garden which is home to both The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet.
“That was an experience,” she said.
“I was a little bit nervous but during the audition process I was telling myself that maybe this time I wouldn’t get it, because everyone was so good, but it was still a really good experience to have.
“When I got the letter, I’d prepared myself for not getting to the final list of 12.
“When I saw that I’d been picked I was ecstatic, jumping around the room.”
Ellis lives with dad Billy, a personal trainer, mum Lynn, head of marketing for a North East food company, and 15-year-old sister Abbie who she says is “more of a singer” than a dancer.
Ellis said she started dancing in year four at primary school but then began intensive training when she was 14.
With a view to becoming a professional contemporary dancer, she is applying to dance schools around the country.
She said that while she hoped to dance first, she had identified choreography as something for the future. Evidently she has what it takes.
One member of the judging panel at the Royal Opera House was the celebrated dancer and choreographer Wayne McGregor. They got on famously.
“I’d said when I’m dancing I go into my own little bubble and people have to drag me out of there. He said he liked living in a bubble too so we had a bit of a bubble chat.”
In particular Ellis is looking forward to working with another Wayne, dance innovator Wayne Sables. “He’s very adventurous with his choreography.”
A second Dame Allan’s pupil, 17-year-old Holly Nielson, from Gosforth, was also shortlisted for the scheme.
Whatever you need this Christmas, go to www.LocalMole.co.uk - the fast, accurate local business directory.
