Over-sized ballet dancers who found fame on national and international TV are to perform at the home of Royal Ballet in London.
The group, all stars of the Channel 4 reality show Big Ballet, will take to the stage at the Royal Ballet in Covent Garden.
In February millions of TV viewers watched as top ballet stars Wayne Sleep and Monica Loughman put 18 “plus-sized” would-be dancers through their paces.
The three-part documentary charted the trials and tribulations as the dancers were trained to perform Swan Lake in front of an audience.
The aim of the programme – also since screened in the United States and Australia – was to prove to the size-obsessed ballet world that big girls can dance.
Now 11 of the original Big Ballet dancers have formed a dance company, Big Ballet UK, and are preparing for a performance of The Nutcracker Story in London on Monday.
The dancers include Carol Hartley, 40, of Mirfield, Claire O’Connor, 41, of Greetland, and Emma Wilson, 39, of Liversedge.
The group is being led by artistic director and choreographer Daniel Jones, a former dancer with the English National Ballet.
Daniel has created a 20-minute version of the ballet classic Nutcracker which the group will perform to an audience of professionals.
The performance will be part of the annual IDS International Dance Teacher Conference.
Mum-of-one Carol said they were all looking forward to the expenses-paid trip to the capital and rehearsals had gone well.
“We are all really excited but slightly nervous at the same time,” she said. “To perform at the home of the Royal Ballet is something very special but daunting as well.
“To be invited to perform has given us a lot of confidence and there’s a positive buzz around us.”
The new company isn’t about making money or turning professional and the group turned to friends and supporters to help them pay for costumes. Almost £1,800 was raised on the fundraising website GoFundMe.
Former cruise ship dancer Carol, who now works in customer services, dance school owner Claire and school teacher Emma aren’t about to give up their day jobs.
Carol said: “Since the programme aired there has been interest in us but I don’t ever think it will be a full-time job.
“For some like me the chance has gone and we’ll never have a dance career again. But we all just love to be on the stage.”
The TV series could be shown in France later this year and the company will continue.
“There has been interest from Italy but that’s all I can say,” added Carol.
