Birmingham Royal Ballet wants to celebrate former students for 25th anniversary

Joshua, right, is one of the children who has gone from the Dance Track programme to gain a place at the Royal Ballet School

Birmingham Royal Ballet is trying to track down thousands of former students of a free training scheme.

Dance Track was launched by the company in 1997 to offer free classes to inner-city children in Birmingham.

The programme has taught 3,500 youngsters since then and wants to hear from as many as possible to mark its 25th anniversary.

"We would like to celebrate the achievements of everyone," manager Rebecca Brookes said.

"We want to reach all those people who remember Dance Track, remember their teachers, remember what it did for them - however big or small - to know what that impact was."

The scheme offers training to children aged between six and 11 and, as well as the free classes, provides uniforms, a chance to see live shows and to be in performances.

The number of children on the scheme has grown from 43 in 1997 to 204 in the current class.

Many youngsters who came through the programme have gone on to get places at the Royal Ballet and Elmhurst Ballet schools and dance professionally, the company said.

Children have gone through the programme to dance professionally, the company said

They include Joshua, who was five years old when he was offered a place and is now a Royal Ballet Associate and an Elmhurst Young Dancer.

The nine-year-old also danced in the company's production of The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome this year and his mum, Pei, said the programme had been "life-changing".

"Before this he was someone who liked to be in the background, but ballet has changed him and given him so much more confidence," she added.

The number of children taking part in the Dance Track scheme has increased from 43 in 1997 to 204 in the current class

Ms Brookes believes their work has been "breaking down the barrier" to get people to dance and is a "commitment to the city of Birmingham".

The 25th anniversary celebrations will include a new book and an event in spring.