Dancing duo go live in bid for TV glory
APAIR of dedicated dancers are part of a group that has made it through to the live finals of hit TV show The Greatest Dancer.
Ella Wharton, 16, from Tytherington, and Esme Byrne, 14, from Macclesfield, are part of Vale Studios whose team of 16 auditioned for the prime time programme.
They were chosen above hundreds of hopefuls to be part of the final 12 acts and have Oti Mabuse, from Strictly Come Dancing, as their mentor.
Now Ella, Esme and their pals will be on the show on Saturday, February 1, hoping to secure enough public votes to make it through.
Francesca Wharton, Ella’s mum, said: “She is extremely passionate about dancing and has absolutely loved this, it has been an amazing experience.
“We really like Oti and are massive Strictly fans. I am really proud, it’s very exciting.
“There were screams of joy when the girls were chosen by dance captain, Oti for the live shows,
“The standard is incredibly high so we really need some local support and as many votes as possible.”
Ella, a pupil at Tytherington School, and Esme, a Fallibroome Academy student, both began dancing at baby ballet classes.
They have been members of other dance schools but joined Vale Studios, which is based in Stockport.
Pupils at Vale train four to six times a week and their successful audition, that was shown on The Greatest Dancer, was a contemporary piece that involved the group being blindfolded.
The format of the show means the audience watch the dance and if 75 per cent vote with the thumbs up a mirror withdraws exposing the group to the judges.
Then it was a question of being selected as one of the top 12 out those that ‘beat the mirror’.
Fiona Byrne, Esme’s mum, said: “It has been really hard to keep a secret but now we are allowed to be excited.
“It’s fantastic. Esme works really hard and is a bit of a perfectionist.”
The Greatest Dancer is on BBC1 on Saturday night from 7pm.