Kiri’s tipped for ballet stardom

Kiri Dalkin, who lives at home with mum Louise (41) and dad Colin (51) attends Hutchesons Grammar School in Pollokshields, where she is in primary four.

She has been attending the UK Theatre School since the age of four and is also about to perform in the principal role of Nurse Elsa at a pre-panto showing of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Mitchell Theatre.

“Her love of dance has been there since she was a baby” said mum, Louise.

She further commented: “Kiri is an outgoing wee girl, always smiling and who just loves performing - it all just seems to come naturally to her.”

Kiri was selected to audition for Ballet West and has been offered a place to train on their associate programme as an Edinburgh associate.

Sara Maria-Barton, creative director for Ballet West said: “Kiri has achieved a huge amount in such a short space of time, it’s quite remarkable.

“She just has so much enthusiasm and drive and is very strong both physically and emotionally - much more so than we would expect to see in an eight-year-old. Even her physical and emotional strengths are where they need to be in order to be succesfull in this field of study.

“I think I can safely predict, as long as Kiri continues to do what she is doing at present and dedicates herself to the various training disciplines involved with the study of ballet, she will have a very succesfull future career ahead of her in later life.”