A REDDITCH family is appealing to the community to help their daughter achieve her dream of attending a prestigious London dance school and fulfil her father’s dying wish.
Chloe Nicol, aged 16, beat off competition from over 1,600 applicants to secure one of 130 coveted spots to study at the capital’s Urdang Academy.
With 95 per cent of graduates going on to work in the industry and regular West End and dance leads, Chloe is desperate to grab the chance of attending.
Chloe, a pupil at RSA Academy Arrow Vale, has been dancing since she was four, but sadly lost her father Steve Slater to prostate cancer in August 2015.
Proud dad Steve was an entertainer himself and a member of local band Session 60 until his untimely death.
Chloe’s mum, Rebecca, said: “Being a performer is in her blood, that’s where she gets it from.”
The teenager, who attends The Latham School of Dance in Matchborough, splits her time between mum’s in Batchley and stepmother Sue’s home in Church Hill.
“She was over the moon when she heard she’d got in,” Sue said. “She only really went along for the experience but we are all desperate to accept her place.”
However to get there Chloe’s family need to raise £7,500 to pay for the course as there is no funding available at foundation stage. After completing that she would audition again to enter the three-year degree course for which Dance and Drama Awards (DADA) funding is available.
“Chloe has had a very difficult time over the last five years. She had to watch her dad deteriorate whilst working hard with her school work and exams and continuing her dance training,” said Sue.
“It was his dying wish that Chloe should pursue her dream,” Sue added.
But Steve’s illness and death has brought difficult times for the family and finances are now stretched so they are planning a number of fund-raising activities and arre to meet with the town’s MP Karen Lumley to see if she can help.
Chloe said: “The past five years have been very difficult but it’s made me stronger and dance has been my saviour – I’ve been able to express myself through it and forget my problems for a while.
“I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional dancer but not coming from an affluent background makes it very difficult. My hard work and talent has got me this far and I don’t want the lack of finance to stop me achieving my goal when I am so close.”
Visit http://tinyurl.com/hs9xfeq to support Chloe.
