A RISING ballet star has received an unconditional place at the prestigious English National Ballet School to study a degree in dance.

Joe Bratko Dickson, 16, began his dancing journey at the age of seven when the youngster, from West Fenton, near Gullane, began practising street dance at the Morag Alexander School of Dance in North Berwick.

At the same time, Joe was playing football and swimming with both Gullane and Haddington’s swimming clubs; however, it was clear that dance allowed him the opportunity to express a natural affinity with music.

During Joe’s first two years of dancing, his peers, family and teachers became aware of his growing love and talent for ballet.

At the age of nine, he joined the Junior Associate Programme with the Royal Ballet in Newcastle before joining the same programme with the Scottish Ballet in Glasgow at the age of 10.

After two years dancing with the programme, the dancer auditioned for a full-time place at the Royal Ballet School-White Lodge in London and Elmhurst School of Dance in Birmingham.

The former Gullane Primary School pupil was offered an unconditional place at both prestigious dancing schools and, after careful consideration, Joe and his family chose to accept an offer from the Royal Ballet School in London.

From about 1,000 boys auditioning for the Royal Ballet School, only 12 places were available and Joe was the only Scottish boy chosen.

Joe’s dad Brian Dickson, a trainer at his company Maximise, said his family chose the Royal Ballet School because it offered full-time education.

He said: “We wanted Joe to experience dancing and education in one. The Royal Ballet School offered private education and ultimately is why we chose this school.”

Since his entry into the school, Joe has had the privilege of dancing on the Covent Garden Stage in the Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker.

However, trouble struck for the teenager when, at the age of 13, he sprouted from 5ft 6in to 6ft 2in in a matter of months, causing severe pain in his thighs and knees – Joe persevered through injury but was unable to perform jumps for over a year.

Joe, now 16, has just completed his GCSE exams and is predicted straight As in his final results.

After being offered continuous two-year places at the London school, Joe was disheartened when Covid-19 dashed his dreams of studying a degree in dance at the upper Royal Ballet School.

His dad said due to coronavirus the valuable and important grant to study for an additional three years could not be offered and Joe was forced to turn elsewhere to pursue a career in dance.

Joe, whose dream is to become a principle dancer with a major ballet company, auditioned at the Dutch National Ballet Academy, the English National Ballet School and Birmingham Royal Ballet School.

He was offered an unconditional place at the English National Ballet School, with no audition required.

Brian said: “We sent over a video of him dancing and they wanted him immediately with no audition needed.”

Brian believes his son, and ballet dancers just like him, should be recognised for their hard work and dedication to their practice.

He said: “Joe is an absolutely exceptional dancer, he is passionate and enthusiastic, he loves to dance, that’s what he wants to do.

“We went to watch him dance recently and he blows me away every time.

“I have been so blessed with such talented children and I am so proud, they work very hard.”

Brian and his wife Daniela Bratkova, a research scientist in East Lothian, also have a second son Oliver, 12, a North Berwick High School pupil who has found sporting success in the pool.

Oliver danced for several years before turning his attention to swimming – he now swims at a national level.

Joe will begin his degree at the school, in Chelsea, London, in September.