A young aspiring performer from Largs has taken a big step towards her dream career by gaining a place at one of the UK’s leading performing arts academies.
Rachel Ashmead, head girl at Largs Academy, has landed a place on the three-year Dance Diploma course at The MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh and will begin full-time training in September to be a professional dancer.
Rachel, 17, began dancing in ballet and tap aged two, impressed staff at The MGA Academy in an intensive audition, and she was delighted when, days later, she received by post a letter of acceptance.
The Academy is the first full-time professional training academy in Scotland to be awarded accreditation by CDET, the UK’s quality assurance and membership body for the professional dance, drama and musical theatre industries.
“The MGA Academy is the school I’ve wanted to go to since I found out about it three years ago. The standard was so high at auditions, and I really wasn’t sure I’d get a place on the dance diploma course. My mum and dad have been so encouraging about it, and now I can’t wait to start. Edinburgh is not too far away for them to come and see my shows, too.
“I think The MGA Academy will make me a well-rounded performer because it offers training in such a variety of dance skills, singing and acting. Because of the relatively small number of students in each year, you get more one-on-one time with teachers.”
Rachel is in sixth year at Largs Academy and is an ex-pupil of St Mary’s Primary School. She attended Janis Marshall Stage School in Irvine and continues to go to Elite Academy of Dance in Greenock, where she is taught ballet, jazz and contemporary dance and whose teacher Julie Gunn helped Rachel choreograph her audition performance for The MGA Academy.
She has performed as The Fairy Godmother in Alba Ballet’s production of Cinderella in Greenock and, having been a part of high school productions staged at Barrfields Theatre in recent years, she will choreograph Largs Academy’s show Rock of Ages, set to open in June.
“I have had some fantastic training that has given me the skills and confidence to pursue a career in dance,” says Rachel. ““The person who has had the biggest influence on my dancing is Lesley Cabrie, who choreographed for my gymnastics team, the Largs Display Team, went to Janis Marshall School of Dance, and is still performing on cruise ships having previously played the part of Wendy and Snow White at Disneyland Tokyo. She was ecstatic for me.”