Madison stars as Lilac Fairy in her Graduation Year at English National Ballet School production of Sleeping Beauty

MADISON WHITELY

Now 17 Years Old 

Former student of

Annette Roselli Dance Academy - Brisbane

AHA Awards 1^st Runner-up A group 2013

4wk Scholarship to

Royal Ballet School London

Now at

English National Ballet School - graduate year

Madison writes…

What a whirlwind it’s been since my time at Alana Haines in 2013. I’m now in my graduate year at English National Ballet School and I am loving every minute of it. I last updated you on my progress in 2015 when I was about to embark on the biggest journey of my life, moving to London. Before I left for London, I competed in the Sydney Eisteddfod McDonalds Scholarship and performed in the finals at the Sydney Opera House. It was an incredible experience to dance on such a beautiful stage with so much wonderful talent.

I started in the second year at ENBS in September 2015. In April this year I was performing with English National Ballet II in My First: Sleeping Beauty as the Lilac Fairy. We had two weeks of performances in London, followed by a national tour in which I travelled to Oxford, Manchester, Hastings, Woking, Dartford, Manchester and Norwich. It was such a special experience and one I will never forget. We wore the costumes of the English National Ballet. They were so beautiful. It was a new experience for me to be performing on tour and I loved performing so often and for such big audiences. 

At the end of each year (July) we have our Summer Performances at the New Wimbeldon Theatre in London. I was chosen to perform in David Bintley’s Flowers of the Forest (Four Scottish Dances) as the lead girl. The piece is for just six dancers and includes a beautiful pas de deux that I was lucky enough to perform. 

I’ve just begun my graduate year at English National Ballet School and am looking forward to what the year holds. I’m hoping to join a company here in Europe or in Australia. I can’t thank Alana Haines Australasian Awards enough for the opportunity it gave me. I was the winner of the four week scholarship to the Royal Ballet School and it gave me such incredible opportunities here in England. I will never forget the friends I made and the experiences I had at Alana Haines. It was a big turning point for me as a student and I am forever grateful to you Katie.