A talented teenage ballet dancer, Tala Lee-Turton from Barnsley, has gained a place at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet.

The 16-year-old girl got a chance-of-a-lifetime offer from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia to become one of nine British students who have studied at the Bolshoi in its 239 year history and the first from Yorkshire.

Chika Temma, her ballet teacher is delighted about Tala's success "We are very proud of her and happy for her because there's no better place for her to go to study for the next four years to be a professional ballet dancer. The Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow is the highest and best ballet school in the world."

However, the school fees alone are €13,000 per year before flight fares and insurance. Without financial support, Tala won't get to realise her dream as the training programme starts this September. Her family have started a local sponsorship campaign to raise at least three quaters of the required funds.

Tala has performed with both English National Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. She started her ballet training in Fearons-Middleton School of Dance in Barnsley and attended outreach programmes of the Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet and the Yorkshire Ballet Scholarship Centre.

Tala found her love for the Russian method of training after receiving personal coaching from the Bristol Russian Ballet School. She described the Russian Style as "expressive, free, dancey, it's different from the English style". For the dance program at Bolshoi Ballet Academy, she will learn Russian in the first year and then continue her academic subjects which will all be delivered in Russian.

Micheal Dugher, MP from Barnsley East, is supporting the campaign to help raise money for Tala. “I have been in touch with Tala’s family and I am going to do all I can to drum up support.  I am sure Tala will do a great job representing the UK and I know she will make Barnsley and Yorkshire very proud.  I would encourage people and businesses across Barnsley to consider sponsoring Tala’s studies and doing all they can to support her in fulfilling her ambitions and becoming a great ambassador for the region.”

The training program at the Bolshoi Academy will boost to Tala's career prospects both in ballet and in other vocations.

For more information about becoming a sponsor, e-mail michael.dugher.mp@parliament.uk for details.