Dancers from York are taking part in a pioneering new dance theatre which will present its first show at the Grand Opera House.

Students from the new Yorkshire Youth Dance Theatre, a scheme for dancers aged between eight and 18, will present A Celebration Of Dance at York's Grand Opera House on Friday and Saturday next week. The dance theatre has been in the planning stage for several years - but it was only last year that the ideas came to fruition and the youth company was established.

Young dancers from North Yorkshire and surrounding regions were given the chance to fulfil their stage aspirations and audition to be members of a professional company with experts as trainers - including patron Wayne Sleep.

Gabrielle Armstrong, a dance teacher working for Yorkshire Youth Dance Theatre, said: "Dancers in the south of England already have similar projects and opportunities with the National Youth Ballet and the London Children's Ballet. There wasn't anything for young dancers in the north. This new dance theatre company creates opportunities for dancers, not in full-time training, to work with professional choreographers at a professional level."

More than 100 dancers will be taking part in the premire for the company which includes two jazz pieces choreographed by Wayne Sleep and Eric Carpenter.

Ex-Royal Ballet dancer, Heather Walker, and Clare Ingleby, directed the ballet Les Sylphides for an advanced group of dancers.

Victoria Westall, well-known ex-Northen Ballet Theatre dancer, choreographed a ballet to Glazunov's Four Seasons and a group of 12 to 15-year-olds will perform a piece called English Dances, created by another ex-Royal Ballet dancer, Sue Robinson. Friday and Saturday night performances start at 7.30pm and a matinee performance on Saturday starts at 2.30pm. For tickets call the box office on 01904 671818.