A young boy from Stevenage has successfully competed against more than 1,000 other hopefuls to secure a place to train full-time at the prestigious Royal Ballet School in London.
With just 24 places up for grabs via a tough audition process, 11-year-old Frankie Keita's achievement is a dream come true.
Frankie's talent was first spotted by ballet teacher Louisa Bailey - a former Royal Ballet School student, and principal at dance school LJ Dance - on his sixth birthday.
His mum, Lindsey, explained: "Frankie was jumping with sheer excitement outside Weston Village Hall whilst waiting for his birthday party to start.
"Louisa spotted some dance potential and offered him a taster class.
"Frankie was born with club feet and had hypermobility syndrome, which was causing him a considerable amount of pain in his hips and knees.
"I had recently found out that gymnastics or dancing may help, so I signed him up for lessons and his ballet journey began."
From that chance meeting and his initial training with Louisa at LJ Dance, Frankie was offered a place on the Junior Associate Programme at the Royal Ballet School at eight years old.
In the last two years, through hard work and determination, Frankie has been given the opportunity to audition and perform with the company of the Royal Ballet in Crystal Pite’s Light of Passage on the Royal Opera House stage.
He has also played the role of Fletcher in the UK Tour of The Bodyguard, performed with London Children’s Ballet in Anne of Green Gables in the West End, and appeared in the BBC’s Wolf.
More recently, Frankie has played the lead role of Luke in Roald Dahl’s The Witches at the National Theatre in London, and has just been cast in a leading role with the 2024 company of London Children’s Ballet, who are performing The Secret Garden in the West End this summer.
When Frankie found out he had secured a place at the Royal Ballet School, he said: "I can’t believe it! This is exactly what I’ve dreamt about. Now I might become a real, actual ballet dancer!"
Lindsey said: "I am thrilled for Frankie. He is completely in love with ballet and has worked so hard. He has been getting up extra early and training most mornings before school for the past few years.
"I don’t need to ask him, nag him or remind him, this is just him. He is so driven and motivated by his love of ballet, he actually inspires me.
"To be recognised by one of the world’s greatest ballet schools means everything to him. This is an amazing achievement."
A place at the Royal Ballet School costs more than £36,000 per year.
While the Government’s Department for Education (DfE) offers UK students means-tested support through its Music and Dance Scheme, a substantial sum has to be met by Lindsey.
Lindsey, who is widowed and a single parent to Frankie and his older sister, works full-time for a mental health charity and is appealing for help in paying Frankie's fees.
She said: "It goes without saying that his sister and I are extremely proud of him.
"We shall miss him so much, but we know he will be in safe hands at the Royal Ballet School, and will be doing what he loves every day.
"It is such an honour to have been offered this place, but to think that he now has the opportunity to train at the same ballet school as Margot Fonteyn, Darcey Bussell and Wayne Sleep is amazing.
"We are grateful to have been given some assistance from the DfE, but it’s not enough for him to go. If anyone would like to help us further, we would be so grateful."
If you would like to support Frankie, email parentfinance@royalballetschool.org.uk. Alternatively, you can visit Frankie’s Crowdfunding page at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/frankie-royal.
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