Linlithgow ballet dancer to represent Scotland at World Cup

A young ballet dancer from Linlithgow has won a place on the Scottish national team to compete at the Dance World Cup in Rome this summer.
Lucy Roy from Linlithgow is off to Rome in the summer to compete at the Dance World CupLucy Roy from Linlithgow is off to Rome in the summer to compete at the Dance World Cup
Lucy Roy from Linlithgow is off to Rome in the summer to compete at the Dance World Cup

While she trains for the World Cup with Edinburgh Ballet School, Lucy Roy (14) is also relishing the opportunity to study at Edinburgh Festival Ballet School, the training academy opened in Edinburgh’s New Town last year by Olivier-award winning dance legend, Peter Shaufuss.

Lucy is now urging fellow budding dancers to apply to Edinburgh Festival Ballet School. Auditions take place on February 22 for a limited number of coveted places to study from September this year, and the youngster has told fellow performers from across Scotland to seize such an opportunity.

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Speaking of her experience at Edinburgh Festival Ballet School, she said: “I started dancing at the age of three and have always loved it. The dance teachers I have grown up with at Edinburgh Ballet School have been a real inspiration for me, and getting to work with world-famous ballet dancers like Peter Shaufuss and Johan Christensen has been an incredible experience.

“I’ve learned new styles and techniques and I’ve enjoyed being around other people like me who share that same level of passion for ballet. It would be great to attend the school full-time in the future.

“I love performing on stage and I’ve been lucky enough through Edinburgh Ballet School to dance at the Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations in London and big stage productions of the Nutcracker and Wizard of Oz in Edinburgh.

“It feels like it’s all been leading up to this moment in Rome in the summer.

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“The whole team is training hard and we’re super excited to see how well we can do.”

Talented performers from across Scotland are invited to audition for free on February 22 for a place at Edinburgh Festival Ballet School, which is run by Schaufuss.

The dancer, choreographer and director famously founded the English National Ballet in 1988 and has, in a stellar career, performed and directed all over the world.

Those auditioning will compete for the chance to secure one of only 20 coveted places on the school’s part-time course (suitable for those aged 12 and over) and 20 places on its full-time training course (suitable for dancers aged 16 and over). During the audition, they will be put through their paces during a two-hour masterclass by Edinburgh Festival Ballet School principal Johan Christensen.

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Schaufuss said: “Edinburgh Festival Ballet School provides a place where some of the finest young performers in Scotland can go to obtain a professional full-time dance education while living and training in Edinburgh.

“I wanted to pass on what I have learnt through all my years of experience in the dance world and we have been delighted with the success of the pilot course run in the past year. I’ve been heartened to witness first-hand the progress of our full-time and younger part-time dancers.

“We are auditioning for places on our full-time school and our part-time school so there are opportunities for both experienced students who are already on the way to making a career as a dancer, as well as those who have raw talent and the desire to succeed but only basic experience of ballet.”

Scottish youngsters, aged 12 and older with ambitions of a career in dance, can apply to audition for a place at Edinburgh Festival Ballet School by emailing school administrator Lee Walls at [email protected].

The next audition will take place on February 22. For more information, visit www.edinburghfestivalballet.com.