Lichfield dancer, 10, earns coveted place at Royal Ballet School

Following a tough audition process, Beau Allton-Nee was one of only 24 students to be offered a place at the prestigious school one of the world’s greatest centres of classical ballet training.

Beau, currently at St Michael’s CofE Primary, will spend the next three years training at the Royal Ballet School’s White Lodge in Richmond Park, before having to audition again to secure his place for school years 10 and 11.

Delighted parents Adam and Michael said: “We’re so pleased for him. He worked so hard for this place, and he thoroughly deserves it. Our hearts are leaping.”

The first round of the audition process was based on photos of the applicants in various ballet positions to show their physique and proportions.

After this, Beau was asked to a preliminary audition in front of a panel of judges. He was then invited to the ‘finals’ where he danced his way through two days of auditions in front of the Artistic Director and senior staff.

After a nervous two-week wait, the family were given the good news.

As well as training as a Royal Ballet Junior Associate in Birmingham, Beau dances with the Nicholson School of Dance in Birmingham, Sophie-Jane Coaching in Solihull and Lisayne Ballet School in Little Aston.

Beau said: “I was over the moon to find out I was offered a place at The Royal Ballet School because it’s been a dream of mine for many years. It shows that my hard work paid off after many years of lessons and classes.”

It continues what has been an amazing period in the talented young dancer’s career.

The St Michael’s CofE Primary School pupil successfully gained a place with the Royal Ballet School’s Junior Associates Programme for Year 5, but this was postponed due to Covid. When it eventually started in January 2021, much of it was held on Zoom, which only made Beau all the more determined to attend full-time vocational dance school.

He was also offered a scholarship for the Joffrey Ballet Academy summer school in Chicago in 2020, but this too was cancelled due to the pandemic.

In October 2021, Beau won a part in the English National Ballet’s Nutcracker at the London Coliseum theatre, where he danced as a party child and soldier during a 22-run show.

On top of all that, Beau had also made it to the final 20 applicants vying for a full-time place at the school of the Paris Opera Ballet – the only English boy to do so. And while he was disappointed not to make the final 10 to secure a place, Beau felt privileged to be able to dance at another of the world’s top three ballet schools.

While continually impressed at his drive and determination, Adam and Michael say Beau has been dancing ever since he could walk.

Adam said: “Beau has danced from a very young age, soon after he started walking. He would often dance and wiggle to music that was on in the background. It made complete sense to look for dance classes. We decided to send him to his first ballet class when he was 4, at Elite Academy of Performing Arts in Lichfield.

“He fell in love with ballet straight away and has stuck with it ever since. He later started classes at English National Ballet Juniors, where a wonderful teacher, Miss Rebecca, said he had ‘something special’ and recommended that we should apply to the Royal Ballet Junior Associates scheme.”

He added: “Seeing Beau dance on stage in the West End’s biggest theatre in his first major ballet over Christmas was magical to watch. He was so lucky that his school, St Michael’s CofE Primary in Lichfield, were supportive of the time he needed to be at rehearsals. Times are changing, and the boys and girls at school are also really supportive of boys who dance.”

The family are now planning to move to London so they can be closer to Beau while he trains.

“Nearly all of the students board full time at White Lodge, with each day being a mix of ballet classes and regular academic lessons. Although as parents it’s sad to think of him being away from us in the week, he knows it’s all part of the process to train and achieve his goals of one day becoming a world-class ballet dancer.

“We love you so much Beau and can’t wait to see what the future has in store. Keep on dancing,” Adam added.