Shoreham sisters selected for professional ballet

In July, Poppy and Tula were chosen to be part of the 100-strong cast of English Youth Ballet’s (EYB’s) production of Cinderella in Hollywood. Poppy (12) and Tula (14) both train at A2 Arts Performing Arts Academy and they are both home educated.

The Shoreham girls were selected in hugely competitive auditions attended by over 250 dancers. The young cast are currently experiencing the life of a professional dancer in rehearsals. They will perform alongside international professional dancers in English Youth Ballet’s Cinderella in Hollywood at the New Wimbledon Theatre from Fri 15 – Sat 16 November 2024.

Dancers in photo (from left to right): Poppy Connolly, Tula Connolly

EYB Principal – Lindsey Fraser (pictured) will be starring as Cinderella in the production. Before joining EYB she danced with the Vienna Festival Ballet. She said “I wish I had danced with EYB when I was young. The dancers learn so much about performance skills and the artistry of ballet. I love working as a principal dancer with EYB because I get to dance fantastic roles and teach and watch the young dancers progress. The sets and costumes in the production are superb and the whole experience is one the young dancers (and the audiences) will never forget!”

Cinderella in Hollywood is set in the glamorous era of 1950s Hollywood movies. The lavish production draws its inspiration from the film star Grace Kelly who met Prince Rainier of Monaco at a press party and later married him. Cinderella is a seamstress on a film set and the Fairy Godmother is her late mother - a former movie star of the 1930s.

Her wicked sisters are Hollywood starlets competing with each other for starring film roles. The Prince meets Cinderella at the press party but at midnight she flees from the scene leaving a sparkly silver pointe-shoe as the only clue to her identity.

EYB was founded in 1998 to provide professional performance experience for talented young dancers. It previously won The Stage Award – for special achievement in regional theatre. EYB has built a national reputation for the quality of both its full-length classical ballets and mixed bill programmes.

The opportunity to watch EYB is a unique experience. Sell-out audiences are treated to outstanding international principal artists sharing the stage with the top up-and-coming young talent from the local area. EYB’s large cast ensures their ballets are performed with the scale and grandeur which was originally intended.

The company is made up of 8 professional principals and 100 selected dancers (aged 8 – 18) from the local area. The young dancers are some of the top talents from the local area. There are now ex-EYB young performers in some of the world’s best companies – including the Royal Ballet.

Don’t miss the 3 performances of Cinderella in Hollywood at the New Wimbledon Theatre from 15 – 16 November. Tickets can be purchased at atgtickets.com/wimbledon