Carol and Emma keep on dancing

Carol Hartley and Emma Wilson joined a group of plus size amateurs to perform Swan Lake as part of Channel 4’s Big Ballet, which was broadcast earlier this year.

“It’s been life changing,” said mum of one Carol, who works at Camira Fabrics in Lower Hopton. “It brought back a passion I thought had gone.”

Once the programme had finished, the 11 ballerinas decided to continue the story.

After an appeal for help, a retired soloist from the English National Ballet joined them as artistic director and choreographer.

An invitation then came to perform at the International Dance Teacher Conference at the Royal Ballet School in August.

Gomersal St Mary’s Primary School teacher Emma, 38, and the rest of the troupe have been fitting in training twice a week at Woodkirk Valley Country Club, in between their hectic family lives.

Carol, 40, said: “We are just normal people living with a fantastic opportunity to perform ballet.”

But without the budget of a national TV show behind them, the ballerinas are having to raise cash for custom-made costumes for their performance of The Nutcracker Story.

Visit www.gofundme.com/bigballet to make a donation to support the troupe.