Theo Canning has only been dancing for two years

A TALENTED ballet dancer has landed a place at the prestigious Junior Royal Ballet School – exactly two years after he started dancing.

Theo Canning, 11, from Great Dunmow, discovered last week that he was one of 12 successful applicants to get into the revered school, based at Richmond Park in London.

From September he will be a full-time boarder at the school and will have four classes of ballet a day alongside his academic studies.

Claire Canning, Theo’s mum, said: “He got the letter exactly two years after he first started dancing and we couldn’t believe he got in – we both screamed and jumped around so much that we got sore throats. He absolutely loves ballet and has worked so hard. I really am so proud of him and everything he has achieved and will achieve.

“He said to the family when he first started that he wanted to go to the Royal Ballet School and we naturally had doubts, but he’s gone for it and done so well.”

In July 2011, five months after he started dancing, Theo secured a position as a junior associate at the Royal Ballet (Lower) School.

The youngster currently has eight hours of ballet classes a week with Michelle Styler at the All About Ballet School, based at the Dunmow Arts Centre. He also spends Saturday mornings training at the Royal Ballet School in Covent Garden.

Outside of ballet Theo has established himself as a keen sportsman. He is a keen runner and has also expressed an interest in the high jump – although ballet is closest to his heart and he is already harbouring ambitions to become a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet.