A TALENTED York student dancer is set to tour with Ballet Central this summer.

Ellie Myers, a final year dance student from York, will be performing with the renowned graduate performing company Ballet Central on their welcome return to touring this summer.

19-year-old Ellie will be joining the company on a five week, 11 venue tour across England, commencing June 17 in Essex, visiting Birmingham, Cambridge, Guildford, Cambridge and London amongst other towns and cities, but sadly not York. Under the artistic direction of Christopher Marney, the company of young graduate dancers will be performing a crowd-pleasing mix of dance pieces by leading choreographers to showcase the dancers’ considerable technique and skills as they embark on their professional careers.

Ellie, who went to Archbishop Holgate’s CE School in York and studied dance at Katie Ventress school of dance in the city, then at the Northern Ballet Associate Division in Leeds before professional training.

She is now in the final year of a three year BA (Hons) Professional Dance & Performance degree at Central School of Ballet in London. Central is a world-leading centre for professional dance training, providing graduates with opportunities for employment in the world’s foremost dance companies and international musical theatre productions. Competition for acceptance on Central’s undergraduate course is fierce, typically attracting over 400 applicants for 40 places each year.

Ellie said: “Dancers live to perform, and I am really looking forward to being back on stage in front of a live audience after such a long period. Ballet Central gives me the platform to develop as an artist and prepare for a career as a professional dancer. Highland Fling by Matthew Bourne is my favourite piece of repertoire in the tour as his pieces are character-driven and you have the chance to tell a strong story in the performance, but the range of pieces allows us to demonstrate our dance skills.

“The past year has been very challenging, especially adapting to training in different environments, and it can be hard to stay motivated, but through Central’s online training programme I have continued to progress to a high standard. The most recent lockdown has been more difficult as I was looking forward to rehearsals for the tour which were delayed. Now with the tour a couple of weeks’ away, I am excited to perform again. It will be a good opportunity to gain the experience I will need as a professional dancer.”

Ballet Central is the touring company of the Central School of Ballet in London, the world-leading centre for professional dance training and education. Students in the final year of their three-year BA (Hons) degree course in Professional Dance and Performance join Ballet Central to gain invaluable touring experience before graduation. Ballet Central’s dancers not only perform but also help with technical aspects including lighting, sound, staging and wardrobe.