Tala delighted with return
A BALLET star who rose to prominence by graduating from the world-famous Bolshoi Academy in Russia has revealed her excitement at performing on home turf.
Tala Lee-Turton, 26, went on to start her own dance company and create her own ballet production.
The work – called No Time Like The Present – will be performed this month at the iconic Wentworth Woodhouse and Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens.
Tala said: “I can’t wait to perform in South
Yorkshire – being from Barnsley myself it means a lot to me.
“I’m really excited to perform locally again but when you’re planning it all, there’s a lot to do.
“With the shows being just around the corner, I have a lot to get done, like the final organising of things, and rehearsals.
“Right now, it’s just a really intense period of refinement.
“I think that once the rehearsals are over and everything is finalised, only then will it hit me that I’m really doing this. I have no sponsorships so I have to do all my own fundraising, like writing bids, to keep the company running.”
Former Proud of Barnsley award winner Tala, originally from Barnsley Road, Wombwell, was only the third British woman to graduate from the elite academy in Moscow in its 240-year-plus history.
Tala flourished under the guidance of the professionals at the Bolshoi and has continued with the intense training regime. She trains ten hours a day, six days a week with weekly performances and regular tours.
She is also fluent in Russian, and places great value on the Russian system of training.
“I’m really passionate about dance; when I’m dancing, I lose myself in the movement and music,” she added.
“It makes me feel amazing.
“With my productions, I want others to feel the same way, and lose themselves.”
Tala is currently rehearsing at the Civic in Barnsley town centre ahead of the performances, which take place from August 19. I must stress – I am really happy to be rehearsing there. I’m a Civic ‘champion’, so to be there is an honour and I’m really pleased about it.”