North Lakes ballerina reaches new heights on and off the stage

A promising ballet dancer from North Lakes will be taking to the stage next month as part of Brisbane City Youth Ballet’s (BCYB) rendition of The Wizard of Oz.

Ellissia King, better known as Ellie, will play several roles during the production when it is shown at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) cultural centre on the Gold Coast on July 1-2.

Ellie, who has been taking dance lessons since she was four-years-old, said she has performed in a number of productions with BYCB.

“I have been lucky enough to have performed in the last seven seasons with BCYB,” Ellie said.

“The BCYB culture is extremely nurturing and encourages us all to dance beyond what we believed we can.

“Best of all I make amazing new friends from across Australia and New Zealand and have the most fun performing exciting new roles.”

Ellie, now 15, has dreamt of becoming a professional dancer since she was a little girl.

She currently trains 25 hours a week at Classical Coaching Australia.

Recently, Ellie also successfully competed in the Qld Cecchetti Medals and will head to Sydney following The Wizard of Oz to compete at the National Lucies Finals for Cecchetti.

But dancing is not Ellie's only passion – she also dreams of studying aviation while working as a ballerina when she is older.

She recently experienced her first flight, which affirmed her goal of obtaining her pilot’s licence.

“I believe you can do anything you set your mind to, and I work hard on that mantra every day,” Ellie said.

From North Lakes to the yellow brick road

The classic story of The Wizard of Oz has been delighting audiences for more than 80 years since it first appeared in cinemas.

It has been performed by numerous dance and theatre companies across the world, reaching millions of fans.

Audiences will be able to follow Dorothy and Toto as they enter the magical world of Oz, where they will meet Scarecrow, Tin Woman and Lion.

To purchase tickets, visit the HOTA website.