Step aside Billy our Elliot is on his way! (From Gazette Series)

Step aside Billy our Elliot is on his way!

A YOUNG dancer from Uley is walking on air after winning a place at one of the top ballet schools in the world.

Elliot Gilfoyle, 11, from Elcombe near Uley, has been awarded a place at White Lodge, the lower school of the Royal Ballet School in Richmond Park, whose past pupils include Dame Margot Fonteyn, Sir Anthony Dowell and Darcey Bussell.

This is one of only 12 places offered to candidates from all round the world, and Elliot's mum puts his success down to hard work and commitment.

Jocelyn Gilfoyle said: "He started dancing at the age of six, and he's always been incredibly focused. At the moment he trains three times a week at the Linda Virgoe Dance Studios in Quedgeley and every Saturday at the Royal Ballet School (Associates) in Birmingham.

"Linda Virgoe has played a tremendous role in Elliot's success and the White Lodge place is just reward for Linda's inspiration and his determination."

Elliot, who's a pupil at Nailsworth Primary School, has a twin brother Edward, but the twins do not share an interest in dance.

"I'm really pleased for him," said Edward. "But I'm not at all interested in ballet: I'm into motorbikes!"

Winning a place at White Lodge has set Elliot on the path to achieve his ultimate aim, to join the Royal Ballet company and dance all over the world.

It is also fulfilling a dream he's had since the age of seven, when he completed a school project on Being Famous and wrote: "I will play the star part in The Nutcracker, and I hope everyone will know who I am."

He may not yet be famous but if all goes well that is the production in which Elliot will make his Royal Ballet debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in December.