A teenager from Barnsley is about to have her dreams come true when she stars as a swan in an English Youth Ballet production of Swan Lake.

Lauren Brooks, 18, of Fourland Close, Barugh Green, will take to the stage for three performances from July 27 to 28 at the Theatre Royale, Nottingham, after being selected from more than 350 young hopefuls at auditions in March.

The ballet company brings together some of the finest professional principal dancers from around the world along with 100 ballet students from the UK, including Lauren, who are selected for their talent and potential.

She is already experiencing the life of a professional ballet dancer, at the Emmanuel School, West Bridgford, in a ten-day intensive rehearsal process. Lauren, who started dancing at age three because she enjoyed watching it on TV, said: “I’ve worked with EYB before and I am really excited that I got into it again.

“I love meeting other dancers and I am most looking forward to being on stage.”

Company manager for the EYB, Ben Garner, said working with them will be a career highlight for a talented young dancer like Lauren.

English Youth Ballet (EYB) is one of the country’s largest ballet companies and staff have adapted the dramatic story of Swan Lake for the production, which is a tale set in 1895 Imperial Russia about love, rivalry, greed and murder.

• Headline written by Dearne FM listener Tim Griffiths of Hoyland.