Student Spotlight: Emma

Which bbodance school do you attend? Who is your teacher?

My teacher is bbodance Registered Teacher Sonya Pettigrew at Brighton Ballet School.

Do you study the bbodance Syllabus? If so, which genres?

Yes, I study Ballet and Tap.

Photo by Kate Frost Photography

Do you take Examinations? If so, please can you tell us about your exam experience?

I have taken bbodance Primary Ballet through to Intermediate Foundation Ballet and Grade 1 Tap. 

I love taking syllabus classes and training for exams. The repetition means that I can really focus and work on the technique side of movements. Going into an exam is like doing a mini performance, I love the sense of occasion, and excitement, and getting my hair done perfectly. The examiners are always so nice and try and help you do your absolute best. I do get really nervous, but that helps and I think the examiners take that into account. The training for exams is quite intense, especially as you get higher up the grades. It improved my strength, stamina and technique so much.

The syllabus is very logical, whatever you learn in one grade you build on in the next, so it makes it easy to progress and improve. During my audition season I was also training for my Intermediate Foundation ballet exam and I felt very strong as a result.  You get such a good feeling when you have passed an exam, and it’s really fun to do the exams with your friends, it’s good for building your friendships in class. We often don’t speak much before the exam, but once you have gone through the exam together it forges long lasting friendships that continue in and out of the studio. 

Do you think the bbodance Syllabus helped you progress in your dance journey?

 I have loved doing the bbodance syllabus so much. The music is really lovely and fits so well to the steps. It’s a joy to dance, and makes it fun to learn, so it doesn’t ever seem like hard work when it’s fun like that. I started ballet when I was just 2 years old. I used to hang around at the studio whilst my mum taught the lessons. I loved watching the older girls dance, and think I learnt a lot from that doorway, watching them!  

Photo by Kate Frost Photography

I also think that it has prepared me well for the wider world of dance.  I don’t often find myself lost in an intensive class, or workshops. It’s provided a very rounded training, and covers all the essentials you need to know to for taking lessons anywhere.  Without the syllabus classes I would not be the dancer I am today.  It’s provided a solid base for me to learn and dance and it’s also very fun, enjoyable and musical. It was my first experience of ballet, and from that moment I have just loved to dance, so an excellent introduction! 

Going to Dance Days was the one of the best weeks of my life.  I made so many new friends and had such a great time. The teachers were incredible, and it was very motivating to be around so many other children who all loved to dance just like me. 

Do you have any advice for dance students?

Work hard, every single class! Work as hard as if it’s your last ever class. But most importantly have fun. If you enjoy what you are doing you will do it well. If you have one side that is not as strong/flexible as the other, then work twice as hard on that side to make it your good side!  If you can’t do something one day, don’t lose hope, don’t take it badly, just put it aside and try again the next day. 

Make auditions or competitions fun, so that whatever the result you will have had a good day.  Believe in yourself, have a dream and go for it. 

What’s coming up next for you on your dance journey?

In October 2025 I started auditioning for full-time vocational ballet schools. It was quite a long audition season, and it was tiring and stressful at times! But mum made it fun, so it didn’t seem to matter. Each audition day we did something fun so whatever happened at the audition we had still had a good day!  I auditioned at Tring Park, Elmhurst Ballet School, and The Royal Ballet School for Year 7 places. 

Photo by Kate Frost Photography

I decided quite early on that my dream was to go to the Royal Ballet School’s White Lodge. Mum read me a book called Ellie’s Chance to Dance, about a little girl who becomes a Royal Ballet School Junior Associate, then goes to White Lodge, and appears on the ROH stage in The Nutcracker.  It sounded so much fun, and I decided I wanted to do that and set my sights on getting a place age 6 years old!! After 3 rounds of auditions I  found out that I was offered 1 of the 14 spaces available out of more than 1300 other dancers that applied!  I also got offers for Tring Park and Elmhurst but my heart was set on going to The Royal Ballet School. 

I start in September 2025 and am really looking forward to it. I appeared in Cinderella last year with the ROH and this year I will be in The Nutcracker so all my dreams have come true! I would go tomorrow if I could. I am going to miss my family and my little sister especially who I love to dance with but I am just concentrating on this new adventure, and all the future brings!

To support Emma with her journey to White Lodge, Emma and her family have been fundraising to ensure she can make the most of this wonderful opportunity. To read more and donate, follow the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/emmas-chance-to-dance