Dancer turns to the US

A LOCAL ballet student has pirouetted her way overseas after being accepted to train at a prestigious dance school in the USA.
When watching Ella Loekito perform the lead role in The Dance Centre Peregian Springs concerts, it is immediately apparent that she is a star.
It is difficult to believe that this polished, mature performer with the luminous face and immense stage presence is just 14 years old. It’s no surprise that she has just been offered places in a multitude of prestigious ballet schools in the United States.
When Ella decided to apply to the biggest and most famous American ballet summer schools, she had her fingers crossed to gain a place in one of them. Instead she was accepted into them all.
Plus she was offered a full-time place in a four year ballet training program in New York.
The schools included the highly respected Joffrey Ballet Schools which have a very rigorous audition process.
Ella was offered places in summer ballet schools in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami and Denver. Ella was also offered a place in the Bolshoi Intensive Summer School.
After much thought, Ella has accepted a place in the four-week Ballet and Contemporary Summer Intensive offered by Alonzo King LINES Ballet in San Francisco in June and July. The course combines Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Ella’s two great dance loves and strengths.
“I am so excited, it is going to be a very big year,” Ella said.
“I am so lucky to have such amazing support and tuition from The Dance Centre’s vocational program teachers.
“None of this would have been possible without them.”