MELISSA Lenehan has a wonderful reason to celebrate the first day of spring.
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After years in ballet class and countless hours at the barre, she has realised her dream of being accepted into the Australian Ballet School.
Melissa, 16, in Year 11 at Orange High, has been a student of the Cubitt School of Dancing since she was eight.
Teachers Marie and Lindsay Cubitt recognised Melissa’s natural talent at an early stage, and nurtured her, encouraging her to compete in eisteddfods and take workshops and classes with other top students in Sydney.
“We feel proud of her and proud she has worked so hard to be accepted,” said Marie Cubitt. “I’d always hoped this would happen for Melissa.”
Melissa said she wasn’t particularly nervous.
“I was about half way through my audition class and they asked if I would like to accept a place at the school and so I was really pleased.”
The judging panel, which included one of Australia’s most famous prima ballerinas Marilyn Rowe, said Melissa had a ‘special quality.’
Melissa and fellow Cubitt student Gary Stocks, also accepted into the school, will receive intense dance tuition for three years before they can be accepted in to the Australian Ballet.
Gary, who lives in Bathurst and travels to Orange for lessons, has been learning ballet for eight months, was also excited about acceptance.
