AN 11-YEAR-OLD girl danced her way into the spotlight after winning an audition for a professional production of the ballet Coppelia.

Mia Carruthers, who goes to the Ealing Dance Centre and Joyce Butler dance school, both in Ealing, was chosen to dance with the English Youth

Ballet in Coppelia at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable. She was among 100 children and internationally renowned professional dancers in the production which involved six hours of rehearsals a week.

Her mum Liz, 45, from Northfields, said Mia was thrilled to be chosen for her first professional role. She said: "She started dancing when she was three and never wanted to give it up. She was always above average and is now on grade six, usually getting a distinction for each grade."

She said Mia, who goes to The Green School in Isleworth, took part in the dance school shows, but always hoped to hit the big time.

She said: "She has gone for auditions before but has only got as far as the final recall. She was always philosophical and keen to try again. She was really excited to finally make it and dance with the English Youth Ballet. It was very hard work with two weeks of rehearsals in Dunstable, but Mia also got to dance with experienced adults in lead roles.

"The costumes were fantastic and she really enjoyed it. We are all so proud of her."

She said at the moment Mia, who is doing a duet in the Hounslow Festival next month, hoped to be a dance teacher when she grew up.

The English Youth Ballet won the prestigious Stage Award for Special Achievement in Regional Theatre in 2006 and in 2008 Janet Lewis, its director, received the MBE for her work with the EYB and services to ballet.