Lurgan ballerina on RTE dance show

Amy Uprichard beat hundreds of hopefuls to sail through auditions for the Pump Up My Dance show.

The programme Pump Up My Dance is a new high-energy series where some of the finest Irish and International dance masters test talented young dancers with the toughest routines they have ever encountered.

Amy, who is from the Gilford Road, was one of 20 dancers who got through to the ballet section.

The Banbridge Academy student impressed the Dance Master, Andrew Wilson, whose job it is to whittle the numbers down to his top five for a spectacular classical ballet routine.

Amy has been dancing for three years and now has her heart set on ballet school. Even at just 15, she is determined to excel and has applied to train at either Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham or the Northern Ballet School in Manchester.

Currently Amy is taking lessons from local tutor Jeanne Cree twice per week. “I train every day,” said Amy who has two sisters Hannah aged 13 and Gemma aged 10.

“I just love to dance and I want to be a professional ballerina,” she said.

She revealed that her dad Stephen was not very keen on his little girl moving away from home to learn to dance, however mum Sarah said if she was good enough she would not stand in her way.

“I’m very determined. It is the only thing I want to do,” she said.

“Only for my ballet teacher Mrs Cree I would not be at the level I’m at and wouldn’t have got as far as I have in competitions and exams,. From day one she has encouraged and pushed me to my full potential. She has supported me 100% and I would like to thank her very much for that! I would recommend Jeanne Cree to anyone looking to take up ballet, she is an amazing teacher!”

Amy said her experience in Dublin for the Pump Up My Dance was ‘nerve-wrecking’ but ‘brilliant’.

The show starts on November 19 on RTE2.