A EWSHOT dancer is currently living her dream after being selected to feature in the English Youth Ballet’s production of The Sleeping Beauty.

Ashlye Gambill, 11, studies at Farnham’s Heath End school and has just finished rehearsals for this weekend’s production in Oxford.

She found out she had been selected in July after English Youth Ballet held a big, “intense” audition for the production, with nearly 300 young hopeful dancers turning up to the two auditions.

Despite an atmosphere of nerves and excitement filling the room, Ashlye was one of the successful 100 in claiming her place on MBE Janet Lewis’ award-winning company for the production in Oxford.

Rehearsals for the ballet took place at Oxford Academy, where the young cast rehearsed for just 10 days ahead of the production.

English Youth Ballet is one of the UK’s largest ballet companies and their Sleeping Beauty production has been updated from the original production and is set in the year 1896.

Speaking to The Herald, Ashlye, who starred in Annie Jr on the West End last year, said: “It feels so awesome, it’s so exciting.

“I started ballet when I was five or six, I have always loved to dance.”

The 11 year old, who recently started at Heath End said that as well as PE lessons at school, she also attends Frogmore Dance School three times a week and is dreaming of a career in dance.

She added: “My long-term goal is aiming to be in Matilda and on the West End more.”

Ashlye moved to the UK three years ago from California with her family, and her mother Roxanne was beaming with pride at her daughter’s latest achievements.

Mrs Gambill said: “Words cannot express how proud I am and how grateful we are for the opportunity, it is a joy to go on this journey with her.

“It is lovely to see her working hard, she gives up a lot of time for dance.

“She is very fortunate, getting to work across different mediums, theatre, radio, and even TV with Nadia from the Great British Bake Off.”

“Ashlye has inspired me to enjoy life and take new challenges on.”