Hope Kelly, 11, who trains at Flackwell Heath, and Alexa Phillips, 10, who trains at Wycombe, will star in English Youth Ballet's (EYB) production of Sleeping Beauty on Friday and Saturday night next weekend.
Hope and Alexa have found a way to combine their two interests, ballet and martial arts, and each discipline enhances the other.
The two local stars share their enthusiasm and joy for the journey ahead.
“She's incredibly motivated and enjoys the challenge of both activities,” said Hope's mother, Kelly Krawczynski.
Hope began ballet at age two and a half and boxing at age nine.
She said: “Boxing helps me develop strength for ballet and also helps with the jumps and tricks I need to do while dancing.”
“Ballet helps with balance and footwork in boxing.
“This allows me to stand up straight and move around.”
She plays two roles in the ballet: Lilac's Maid and the Russian.
The former features gentle, flowing dancing, while the latter features fast-paced dancing.
For Hope, entertaining the audience and showcasing her abilities are top priorities.
She excitedly revealed her ambitious plans for the future: “My plans for the future are to continue dancing at Medley School of Dance in Wycombe until I'm old enough to go to dance college and take advantage of all the opportunities that are presented to me.”
Alexa, who trains with Focus Martial Arts and began ballet at age four, shares Hope's passion.
She said her commitment to martial arts and ballet are complementary practices, with each enhancing the skills of the other.
She points out, “Ballet improves my posture and balance. In kickboxing you have to do a lot of pointing on your toes, so that helps with ballet too.”
As Hope spoke of her aspirations to perform at Wycombe Swan, Alexa will be taking on the roles of Charm and Cat in the ballet.
She said: “Both are exciting roles and the dancing is fast and energetic.”
“I can't wait to show my friends and family my dance.”
Like Hope, Alexa also wants to pursue her passion and eventually run her own dance school.
EYB's 26 year old production of Sleeping Beauty is a fantastic platform for young talent and promises to be a fantastic evening.
EYB is bringing this enchanting classic to Wycombe Swan, offering young dancers like Hope and Alexa a unique opportunity to perform solo and company roles alongside professional dancers.
- Tickets are still available to buy for next week's production of Sleeping Beauty at Wycombe Swan – see the theatre's website for more details.
