Exeter dance teacher to meet one of her ballet idols

Ava Barron Thomas who runs her babyballet school in Exeter is to meet national ballet treasure, Wayne Sleep, OBE.

At only 5’2in Sleep is famous for being the shortest male dancer ever admitted into the Royal Ballet School. He has performed with everyone from Nureyev to Princess Diana and earlier this year won public acclaim for turning non-professional, largely overweight amateurs into dancers for a Channel 4 documentary, ‘Big Ballet’.

Sleep is the guest speaker at babyballet’s annual conference on Saturday, May 31 at babyballet’s Head Office in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Yorkshire mum-of-four Claire O’Connor set up the company in 2005 and it is now the UK’s leading pre-school dance concept. She has 60 franchisees across the country, with over 10,000 youngsters attending over 1000 classes and both Claire and the academy have won numerous awards.

Claire featured in the ‘Big Ballet’ series and was so inspired by Sleep she wanted all 60 women who work with her to meet him. She says she was thrilled when he agreed to attend the conference. Sleep himself says he is the one honoured to be meeting the women who love ballet and dance as much as he does. “I am delighted to be attending the babyballet conference, meeting the franchisees and learning more about the work of the company,” says Sleep.

Ava of Exeter set up babyballet in 2011 and now has over hundred pupils attending sessions each week. A mum of three she is married to local business man, Anthony Thomas who owns the successful Hunters, Exeter Estate agency. Passionate about giving even the tiniest dancers the opportunity to learn in a safe, professional environment, Ava moved her babyballet school in to her own brand new purpose built dance studio in the heart of the city earlier this year. Unable to attend the launch of DanSci Dance Studio himself but excited by the facilities being brought to Exeter, Wayne Sleep gave an autographed picture wishing Ava Good Luck which takes pride of place in the venue.

“Wayne Sleep is one of the biggest names in ballet not just in this country, but throughout the World and I am thrilled that I am going to be able to give him an update in person on how well babyballet has settled into DanSci Dance Studio, especially as our beginners adult ballet classes have become even more popular since the airing of ‘Big Ballet’. He is so knowledgeable and passionate about ballet and I am looking forward to hearing him speak and passing on his wisdom and enthusiasm to me and all my babyballet stars,” says Ava.

Sleep is a patron of the British Ballet Organisation and vice-president of the Royal Academy of Dance, he has two entries in the Guinness Book of Records and has appeared on numerous TV shows including Stepping Out, Strictly Dance Fever, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Come Dine With me, Family Fortunes and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

He runs the Wayne Sleep Foundation which provides scholarships for talented youngsters to further their training in all areas of theatre and dance. He also runs workshops all over the country for children over the age of six.

Anyone who would like more details about babyballet can contact Ava on: 07837 192 406 or visit www.babyballet.co.uk. For information about classes and venue hire at DanSci Dance Studio, Exeter contact: 01392 41 22 22 or info@dansci.co.uk. www.dansci.co.uk