Leo's Dance College Fund
My name is Leo Horler and I live Near Frome in Somerset. I am 15 years old and have been dancing and performing since I was 4 years old.
My main genres are Ballet, Tap and Contemporary and I train in these every day after school and on weekends in Swindon, Bristol and the Bath area.
Currently, I train on the C.A.T. Scheme with Swindon Dance (centre for Advanced Training) every Saturday and Swindon Youth Dance Company SYDCO in the week.
I also undertake training from the Bristol Russian Ballet School, at an advanced level. During my time with the Ballet School, I have performed in several productions including Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia and Nutcraker at the Playhouse Theatre, Weston Super Mare.
Previously, I have performed with The English Youth Ballet in Giselle, Coppelia and Sleeping Beauty.
I have also performed with SYDCO and BANES Youth dance company at U Dance South West and in 'The Deluge' with LILA DANCE Company.
In the summer holidays I have trained at Central Ballet , Italia Conti, Hammond , Tring and RAD.
In 2013, I attended The Hammond School in Chester, on the associate programme. I trained on Sundays every Month and have gained full-time places at the school three times, but was unable to obtain funding.
In 2014, I was privileged to have danced in Mathew Bournes 'Lord of the Flies' in Cardiff, after gaining a place in the cast from an audition of 400 boys. This was a very big turning point for me and my decision to really get serious with my dance and performance.
Locally I have been training in musical theatre and performed in Les Miserables, Oliver and Spamalot. More recently I undertook the role of Tyrone in a school production of FAME.
I performed at the Bristol Hippodrome with The Big Act in 'FAME: The 48hr Challenge' as an ensemble dancer.
A more recent performance in the Hippodrome was as a member of the ensemble in Ellen Kents Opera AIDA.
Upcoming performances include; 'The Big Act' for 'Singing in the Rain' in April, performing and assisting in the dance direction. In June I will be playing Mr Mistoffelees in Frome with Spellbound Theatre group. Looking forward to this.
On a spare Sunday, I help raise money for the Royal British Legion by going to events with the Witshire Home Guard reenactment group. As a member of the Home Guard, I help give talks and educate people about the role of Home Guard in WWII.
My reason for setting up this page is to please help me realise my dream after dedicating my life so far for my passion for the performing arts.
I have recently auditioned for the prestigeous
Bird College of Performance and Dance, in Kent.
I have since been offered a place on the programme with the offer of a DADA, which funds a percentage of costs.
As I will only be 16, I am not eligible to receive an educational loan that I need help to live away from home and fully cover my educational fees.
I will have to find landlady to stay with, rent accomodation for three years and financially cover the cost of dance kit and compulsory educational trips.
The rent for the first year, I have been told, is £150 per week and dance kit aprox £350 a year.
I will also have to cover Dance insurance for injury and approximately £2000 to help cover the course each year.
I hope to being the course in September and I need to pay the first term fees prior to this (July).
As I am currently undertaking my GCSES and dance exams in the next two months, the pressure to find funding is rather high.
I really hope that there are some really kind peolple who really love performance and the theatre that can help me to be part of a performance that they enjoy in the future.
I have trained through evenings, weekends and holidays and many of my teachers/ choreographers are really pleased that Bird College have given me a place.
Hopefully I will be able to finally train full-time and progress to the next steps in my career.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.