Dancer joins the Vienna Festival Ballet’s production of Swan Lake at the Parr Hall

BREATHTAKING choreography and lavish costumes are part of the appeal but nothing compares to the bow at the end of the show for Emily-Joy Smith.

The 23-year-old is part of Vienna Festival Ballet’s production of Swan Lake which comes to the Parr Hall on May 11.

She is one of 16 dancers and plays White Swan Odette in Tchaikovsky’s classic.

Emily-Joy told Weekend: “The best thing for me is when you take a bow.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 or 10,000 people, knowing they are there to watch you for two and a half hours and hearing them cheering and clapping at the end is amazing.

“It’s also great when you see children’s faces light up as it’s such a nice feeling to know you’ve inspired somebody.”

Following on from last year’s performances of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, the collective are touring the country again with their latest show.

Swan Lake is the most popular ballet in the world and is renowned for capturing the full range of human emotions from hope to despair, from terror to tenderness, from melancholy to ecstasy.

But that means the Vienna Festival Ballet team also have the challenge of making themselves stand out from other productions.

“A lot of people interpret it differently,” added Emily-Joy, who has also performed for Sarasota Ballet in Florida.

“But I’m a big fan of watching the classical versions on YouTube.

“We have different influences that come together like a jigsaw until it becomes something we’re comfortable with.”

The dancers have been rehearsing for four weeks in a studio in London and a huge number of costumes are being stitched as most of the performers have four changes.

But Emily-Joy said that Swan Lake has been taking over every facet of her life.

“It’s a 24/7 job,” she said.

“I’m a bit of a ballet geek and like my classical music on the go. Tchaikovsky is amazing. His music is so powerful. I find that it makes me cry on the tube when I’m surrounded by people.”

Emily-Joy was inspired to become a ballet dancer after she saw Cuban Yat San Chan, principal dancer in the English National Ballet, at a performance in Scunthorpe when she was 10.

She has since worked with him.

Emily-Joy added: “I remember seeing him throw this girl in the air and catch her with one hand.

“I was amazed by the power of this guy.”

* Swan Lake comes to the Parr Hall on May 11. For tickets priced from £11.50, visit pyramid parrhall.com or call 442345

DAVID MORGAN