Professional ballerina returns home to perform with Flawless (From Bucks Free Press)

Professional ballerina returns home to perform with Flawless

10:50am Friday 22nd June 2012 in Freetime By Rebecca Cain

A BUCKS girl is returning home to perform with the English National Ballet who are in turn performing with Britain's Got Talent finalists, Flawless. Kerry Birkett has performed with the world famous ballet since 2006 but it her first time at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. Kerry talks to Rebecca Cain.

Streetdance, acrobatics and ballet come together as ten dancers from World Dance Champions, Flawless, perform with ten dancers from the UK's national ballet company.

Kerry is one of the ballerinas in the new show, Against Time, which was created by Flawless artistic director and lead choreographer Marlon "Swoosh" Wallen and Jenna Lee, soloist and choreographer at ENB.

Kerry, who was born at Stoke Mandeville and grew up in Quainton, spoke to me on the way to rehearsals.

She said: "With a new production I always feel a bit nervous but it adds to the excitement."

And more used to classical ballets this new collaboration brings a refreshing change.

She said: "It is just so nice to do something different- learn a new skill and see the difference in the way they work. They approach things really differently."

The 29-year-old has been enjoying giving her own input into the show, which is a new experience for her.

And another new experience will be performing in Aylesbury.

She said: "It will be nice- lots of family and friends will be there which will be really nice.

"I have never performed at the Aylesbury Waterside before. I have only heard how amazing the new theatre is."

Kerry studied at the Tring Arts Educational School.

She said: "I was actually originally a gymnast and then when I got to a certain age a lady from Tring came to watch a ballet class.

"At that stage I just liked it. It was more of a hobby. As you get older it becomes part of you. You train for so many years. Now I couldn't do anything else."

She started ballet training when she was 10 and said being a gymnast beforehand prepared her body for the dance.

She joined the English National Ballet in 2006 and played first artist in 2010.

And she has to make sure she stays in peak condition because she said if you get out of shape it takes longer to get back.

They have a four week period in the summer off.

Kerry said: "I tend not to do anything, otherwise we are more susceptible to injury. You have to give your body a rest. A lot of the time we are in the theatre all day. We are lacking in vitamin D quite a lot of the time."

And she has to make sure she watches what she eats.

She said: "Yes we do. I just have to have the right amount of energy. If you don't eat enough you are not going to be able to perform as well but equally you can't eat too much as you will be full onstage.

"I want to have enough but not too much. It is a fine balance."

Flawless and English National Ballet in Against Time, Streetdance Goes Classical is at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on June 30 at 5.30 and 8.30pm and July 1 at 2 and 6pm. Tickets range from £10-£25. Book now at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Box Office call 0844 871 7607 (bkg fee) or visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee)