Bristol ballet dancers land roles in The Nutcracker show

Six Bristol girls have pirouetted their way into a professional production of The Nutcracker.

From left, Leanne Shears, 12, Heather Johnson, 12, Maddie Barnett, 11, Natalie Shears, 11, Verity Rhodes, 10, and Jemima Wood, eight, will be performing in The Nutcracker in Swansea.

Heather, Maddie, and sisters Leanne and Natalie have all been chosen to perform an Arabian dance, while Verity and Jemima will perform in the ballet as soldiers.

The girls, who all attend Bristol's Russian Ballet School in Bedminster, will dance alongside professional dancers at the Grand Theatre, Swansea.

They will also be performing in front of Russian princess Olga Romanoff and are feeling the pressure mounting.

Leanne, of Hengrove, said: "This is the biggest dance we have ever done. We've done it in schools but this is a proper theatre. There's a lot of pressure."

Natalie said: "We've come a long way since we started. I think we're all really grateful to be chosen. I can't wait to dance in front of a princess!"

The girls' teachers, Chika Temma and husband Yuri Demakov, are the director and artistic director of Ballet Russe Swansea and the principals of the Bedminster school.

Ms Temma, said: "It's a very nice theatre with professional dancers. I thought I would love to bring my students from Bristol to perform.

"We like to give our students opportunities to dance on stage, it's what ballet is all about. People don't just want to stay in the studio.

"I hope one or two of them will become professional dancers. I'm proud of them."

The girls said their teachers have really put them through their paces.

Heather said: "Sometimes Chika makes us do it over and over again."

Leanne said: "But we appreciate it. They are teaching us but could be doing other things."

The performances take place on November 29 at 1.30pm and 5pm.