Elizabeth Bickley (16), 12 year olds Lauren Skinner and Cora Vanaman and nine-year-old Sophie Morris from Christine March School of Dance –– based in Mansfield and Ashfield –– together with 11 year olds Rebecca Meadowcroft and Sarah Newton from A. J. School of Dance, which holds classes in Mansfield and Ravenshead, will all be featuring in the production on 1st/2nd August.

Set on an English country estate with 'an upstairs downstairs flavour', the ballet is a dramatic love tale with enchantingly sumptuous costumes, pretty scenery and spectacular dancing and a story brought into this century with warmth, colour and drama.

The girls started the competitive audition process back in February, where judges were looking for 100 young dance students between 8 to 18 capable of meeting the heavy demands of the performance.

Said English Youth Ballet general manager, Bridget Hearn: "We were looking for things like musicality, a natural love of dance and of course a level of ability.

"These children will benefit from being able to watch and learn from the principal dancers. It's also a taster of what it would be like for them to go on and join a professional ballet company."

Tickets cost £12-£18 from the box office on 0115 9895555.