Burgess Hill Girls pupil wins National Ballet Competition

Burgess Hill Girls pupil Mirabelle Hogan has won the Performance Platform’s Pre-Vocational National Classical Ballet Competition at the Royal College of Music in London.

After making it through the qualifiers at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 2022, Mirabelle Hogan has won the 2023 Pre-Vocational Classical Ballet Grand Final at the Royal College of Music. Currently in Year 6 at Sussex prep school Burgess Hill Girls, this was eleven-year-old Mirabelle’s first year in the Pre-Vocational age group for Year 6 and 7 boys and girls.

The competition is organised by The Performance Platform to give aspiring dance students the opportunity to perform for world renown ballet professionals. Judges and guests at the 2023 Grand Finals included Kate Coyne, Artistic Director at the Central School of Ballet, Jo Meredith, Creative Director for National Youth Ballet and Jason Mabana, Rehearsal and Production Director at Rambert School.

As a result of her victory, Mirabelle won scholarships to two different ballet programmes and mentorship from the Artistic Director of Performance Platform, Emma Northmore. She is hopeful that this will help with her ambition to become a professional dancer: “I really enjoyed taking part in the Performance Platform and meeting all the judges. It was such a nice venue and I enjoyed learning and performing the two new dances. It was a big surprise to come first place, I wish I could do it all again!”

Heather Cavanagh, Head of Burgess Hill Girls Prep School, is delighted to see Mirabelle’s achievements: “It is a genuine pleasure for us all to celebrate Mirabelle’s success. We all know Mirabelle is a talented dancer. With her hard work and determination to succeed I am sure she will fulfil her ambition.”

In the immediate future Mirabelle will continue her rehearsals with the London Children’s Ballet and will perform in Snow White at Saddlers Wells in April. In September she will be one of only fourteen girls joining Year 7 at the Royal Ballet School.