A NORTH Berwick dancer is joining her sister at a prestigious Edinburgh ballet school.

Kitty Rose Black, 12, joins sister Maisie, 14, at Edinburgh Festival Ballet after successfully auditioning earlier this year.

The school is run by Danish ballet dancer and artistic director and principal of English National Ballet, Peter Schaufuss.

Kitty, Maisie and mum Pauline are spending lockdown in Corstorphine in Edinburgh but are permanently moving back to Westerdunes Park, North Berwick, next month.

Kitty, a former Dirleton Primary School pupil, is due to start in August and is “really excited” at the prospect of joining a talented group of dancers.

She said: “I have been told by Maisie that it is really fun. I like to be challenged. I actually can’t wait.

“All of the part-time students go together in one class so I will be with my sister in some classes.”

Kitty, who started dancing at the age of four and used to train with Dunbar School of Dance, currently trains with Velasco Walker School of Dance and Scottish Ballet junior associates.

She was 11 years old at the time of her audition, which was completed amongst students who were older than her and auditioning for full-time places at the school, something she called “quite challenging.”

The audition process consisted of a filmed two-hour dance class.

She was inspired to audition and join the school after attending an open day and watching some of the dancers, one of whom was her sister, perform.

Due to coronavirus, both Kitty and Maisie have been training through Zoom to ensure they do not lose their skills.

Kitty said: “When Maisie first did a Zoom lesson I watched her and was so keen to do it. Maisie has really come on this past year so hopefully it will strengthen me, too.”

On her love of dance, Kitty said: “I love dancing. I go to school then come back and do dancing.

“I feel free doing it, like nothing can stop me. I don’t think about anything else, I just love dancing. I want to be a ballet dancer when I’m older, that’s my dream right now.”

Kitty is also due to start secondary school and has been accepted by both The Dance School of Scotland in Glasgow and Erskine Stewart’s Melville School in Edinburgh.

She is yet to decide which one to attend.