A TALENTED young ballet dancer from Skipton has been selected as one of just 100 across the country to go forward into the semi-finals of a national competition.

Erin Brailsford, 15, was chosen by dance industry experts following submission of her video entry as part of the first round of the competition organised by All England Dance.

It is a part of a successful year for Erin who hopes to go on to train with the best in the world and eventually join a professional ballet company.

Erin, a former pupil of Water Street Primary School, will now attend the semi-final workshop round of the All England Dance contest held at at Trinity Laban in London in mid-June, where she will be taught a variation from Coppelia by Samira Saidi, Guest Repetiteur of the Royal Ballet Company.

The workshop will see 20 dancers go through to the final of the contest, due to take place in September at London's Royal Opera House.

Erin's mum, Dawn, said her family, including her younger sister, were very proud. She said Erin developed her love of dance at the Northern Dance Centre in Skipton, where her younger sister has now also enrolled.

"We are very proud of her and there is no one else in our family who has ever danced before, so she has this amazing talent which seems to have come from nowhere," said Dawn.

Erin is currently is a student of Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, which she joined in year seven, after being awarded a music and dance scholarship place.

Her mum added: "Erin has had a successful year so far, being awarded places to also attend summer intensives with the Royal Ballet School, Yorkshire Ballet Seminars and National Youth Ballet of Great Britain.

"These are an important part of her continued training over the summer period as she will be auditioning for upper school places next academic year against ballet students from all over the world, with the ultimate aim of gaining a place with a professional ballet company - but they do come at a financial cost.

"She is one of the most hard working and dedicated young people we know, and we are amazed at what she has achieved so far."

Erin's parents have set up a fundraising page if anyone would like to support Erin along the way with her training costs. Access the page at: https://gofund.me/ac8c4339