A nine-year-old ballerina is set for the spotlight in her first professional dance production.

Ellena Lond-Caulk, from Caston, will be among the cast for a performance of The Sleeping Beauty by the English Youth Ballet (EYB) in June.

The show, featuring international principal dancers Amy Drew, Adele Robbins and Brendan Bratulic, will be at the Norwich Theatre Royal on June 24 and 25.

Caston Primary School pupil Ellena will be among 100 dancers aged eight to 18 filling the soloist and corps de ballet roles in the production.

She has been dancing since she was three and takes lessons at the Judith Fox Ballet School in Wymondham.

Ellena said: 'I am looking forward to the training at English Youth Ballet and also to the performances. I really enjoy doing performances.

'When I grow up I would like to be a ballet dancer and an actress.'

Over 200 budding young dancers attended two auditions for roles in the performance.

Janet Lewis MBE, director and founder of EYB, was impressed with the talent and enthusiasm shown by the applicants.

She said:'EYB is all about providing extra performance experience to young dancers.'

Julianne Rice-Oxley, EYB's ballet mistress, has been coaching the young cast during rehearsals at Sprowston Community High School.

'The young dancers are treated like professional dancers during rehearsals – we work them hard but the results are fantastic!

'They learn what the life of a professional dancer is like. They are living their dream and they just love it,' she said.

Tickets for The Sleeping Beauty can be purchased at the Theatre Royal box office – call 01603 630000 or go to www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk.