Young ballerinas living every little dancer's dream | News

20th November 2008

Clarence Valley Dance Academy students Amelia Ryan and Sophie Jones have been invited to take part in a program with the Austra

MANY young dancers dream of making it into the Australian Ballet.

For two young girls in the Clarence Valley, this dream has come true.

Amelia Ryan, of Maclean, and Sophie Jones, of Angourie, both aged nine, have been invited into the Australian Ballet Interstate/International Junior Program, which attracted applications from around Australia and the world.

Dancers from other countries had sent in video auditions in a bid to gain a place in the prestigious program.

Amelia and Sophie dance with the Clarence River Dance Academy and are trained by Adele Lewis and Nicole Shipman.

Both have been dancing since the age of four, and have trained in classical ballet, tap, character and modern dance. They dance three times a week in Maclean.

In July the girls went to Brisbane to audition for the program and by September they had been accepted.

The girls will undergo intensive one-week blocks of training for the Australian Ballet in any of the capital cities. That training includes learning new techniques and improving skills.

They will also get the opportunity to watch professional Australian Ballet members train.

The girls said they were excited and proud, but a little scared, to be chosen.

Sophie's mother, Emma Jones, said it was an outstanding effort for the girls to be chosen for the program.

"For so many dancers from all around the world to try out and for our two girls ... to get chosen, it's just amazing," she said.

Meanwhile, the Clarence River Dance Academy students will perform at the South Grafton High School auditorium on November 29 at 5pm and at the Maclean Civic Hall on November 30, December 3 and 6 at 7pm.

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