Former Plymouth student follows in footsteps of international stars

An 18-year-old student from Plymouth will be following in the footsteps of international stars, such as Drew McOnie, Lily James and Daisy Ridley when he performs in a dance show in London next week.

Ollie Selwood, who is studying dance at the prestigious Tring Park Performing Arts School in Hertfordshire, will be taking to the stage at the Shaw Theatre in London with fellow Tring Park students to perform Brief Encounters.

Inspired by the 1945 film of the same name which was set in an idyllic country railway station before World War II, the show follows the lives of townsfolk through three decades, exploring love and laughter, conflict and coronations, film stars and fantasies all through the medium of dance.

Ollie has been at Tring Park School for four years, but prior to that, he was a student at Plymstock School and Goosewell Academy.

Ollie's mum Tracey said that he has always enjoyed dancing and singing. "Ollie's passion for performing starting to shine through at the age of nine when he wanted to learn to tap dance at the Alison Sawle Academy of Dance in Plymouth."

Moving on to Tring Park has given Ollie more opportunity to excel, performing with the National Youth Ballet as well as being part of the Tring Park choir that won the Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year 2016. He is currently performing with the Tring Park choir in the BBC's new prime-time TV show Pitch Battle.

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts has its roots in dance and is world famous for its dance credentials, having produced many a professional dance star and choreographer.

Its young dance students perform in West End ballet productions with the English National Ballet at the London Coliseum.

Tring Park School boasts a glittering alumni, which includes: director and choreographer Drew McOnie, who won the 2016 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for his work on In the Heights and he has been nominated for the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for Jesus Christ Superstar.

International stars such as Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) started their training on the dance course at Tring Park.

Daisy attended Tring Park from the age of 11 to 19. Other famous students include Lily James (Disney's Cinderella, Downton Abbey and War and Peace), Jessica Brown-Findlay (Downton Abbey).

Brief Encounters will be at Tring Park School's Markova Theatre from 27- 29 June at 7.30pm and at the Shaw Theatre in London on 2 July.