TWO young dancers have impressed a prestigious ballet school to gain places on a coveted dance programme.

Sophie Holmes and Lillie Wade, who both attend Rigney Bank Ballet School in Milnthorpe, wowed judges with their auditions to be accepted onto the Royal Ballet Junior Associate Programme to hone their ballet skills.

They have also been accepted on the Elmhurst Young Dancers Monthly Programme.

Sophie has been dancing since she was four and mum Charlotte Holmes says she ‘dances everywhere’.

The nine-year-old will commence the weekly associate programme this September in Manchester.

“She absolutely loves it,” said Ms Holmes,

“She dances everywhere around the house.

“She’s really happy when she’s dancing, it’s lovely to watch her.”

Due to Covid, auditions were done via Zoom and Sophie was ecstatic when she found out she had been chosen for the programme.

“You had to record it and I was hoping my shakey hands wouldn’t let her down, because you could only do it in one take,” said Ms Holmes.

“She was absolutely ecstatic and over the moon when she found out, as were all her family.”

Lillie, from Kendal, has also been dancing from a young age and follows in the footsteps of her grandfather, who attended the Marie Rambert Ballet School in London when he was 14.

The nine-year-old, who also attends Kendal Gymnastic Club, will start the 12-month programme in Leeds in September.

She has had similar success with the prestigious school after achieving a place on the Junior Associate Programme last year.

“She loves ballet,” said mum, Rebecca Wade.

“She wasn’t nervous about auditioning at all, she enjoyed it.

“She was absolutely over the moon when she got the news.

"She spends her life dancing, she dances when she gets up and before she goes to bed."

Lille said she is very excited and cannot wait to start.

Rigney Bank’s principal Jayne Mills, said: “As their teacher I am delighted as both of the young dancers work hard all year round and this is a great steppingstone towards a career in dance.”