English Youth Ballet will be auditioning for young dancers for a haunting production of Giselle on Monday 17 June at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

Up to 100 male and female dancers (aged 8 - 18) from across the region will be offered the chance to train and rehearse with and then dance alongside international professional principal dancers in the acclaimed production for 3 performances to be presented at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 6 - 7 September 2024.

Award-winning EYB is now in its 26th phenomenal year and is one of the largest ballet companies in the UK. EYB is a national touring ballet company with Director - Janet Lewis MBE at its helm. Miss Lewis enjoyed an illustrious dancing career with the Royal Ballet Company and London Festival Ballet dancing alongside such greats as Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. The company consists of a core team of 8 international principal dancers, 2 artistic ballet staff, 2 wardrobe mistresses and 4 theatre technicians. The principal dancers have danced in some of the world’s greatest companies including English National Ballet and the Vienna Festival Ballet. EYB is highly regarded for presenting lavish, large-scale classical ballets and critics have praised the quality of the beautiful sets and costumes.

EYB Director Janet Lewis says: “The EYB audition is an experience in itself. EYB is all about performance experience and this starts at the audition as the dancers are given a regular ballet class with parents and family encouraged to watch. We are looking for young dancers of all abilities who can show the audience how much they enjoy their dancing."

Each audition will take the form of a regular ballet class but it will take place on the stage. Dancers will find out on the day if they are successful. It is advisable to register for the audition in advance but it is possible to register on the day (please arrive 30 minutes early to register). The audition fee is £20.00 and all dancers participate in a full ballet class. Parents are invited to watch the audition from the auditorium.

Auditions will be held at: Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Lichfield St, Wolverhampton WV1 1DE

4.30 – 6.15pm Audition 1 (for dancers aged 8 – 11)

6.45– 8.30pm Audition 2 (for dancers aged 12 – 18)

For more information and to register for the audition please email englishyouthballet@gmail.com or visit englishyouthballet.co.uk.

Link to the audition information and application form englishyouthballet.co.uk/audition-dates.

Photo credit: Ben Garner