Manjimup dancer Amber Gannaway takes to the stage at Perth Youth Ballet

Young dancer Amber Gannaway’s dreams will come true when she takes to the stage this weekend with the Perth Youth Ballet. At just 12 years old, the Manjimup girl was selected for the Perth Youth Ballet program because of her great aptitude for dance and her passion to embrace it as a career. The program culminates in a public performance at Rixon Theatre on Saturday, where Amber will perform alongside her peers in front of a room of up to 700 people. Perth Youth Ballet director Leanna Del Basso said Amber had a passion for dance and has worked hard alongside the other “next generation stars” in the lead-up to the performance. Amber showed a talent for dance from age three when her mum, Angela Gannaway, found her daughter wandering around the house on her tiptoes. Amber has now been dancing for nine years up to four times a week. Ms Gannaway said that the program is an amazing opportunity for her daughter and is proud of how far she has come. “I was shocked at first when we found out,” she said. “It’s a fantastic experience for her and other regional children who wish to dance on a professional level.” Amber said the audition was nerve-racking but that she pushed herself to perform well knowing that she would be happy just to walk away with the experience of auditioning in a professional setting. “I was just really excited when I got in at first because I didn’t think I was going to,” Amber said. “I couldn’t wait to meet new people, other dancers and to try new dance styles and learn from new teachers.” Amber said that the first few weeks were tough but after a while she made some friends which allowed her to relax into the program and helped reduce her nerves which would build on the three-hour drive north to Perth every Sunday. “On Mondays I am usually exhausted but I love it,” she said. Amber said that she will definitely audition for the Perth Youth Ballet next year but will look to find a new program the year after so that she can further develop her skills, aiming for the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in the long run. En Pointe dance principal and Amber’s dance teacher Tianna Webb said that she is proud to see Amber in the program as it has proved that her studio has been able to facilitate the local children’s love of dance. “Amber is the most beautiful dance student, a pleasure to work with,” Ms Webb said. “She has worked super hard to achieve this success.”