Five students from The Samworth Church Academy, Mansfield, are among 14 high achievement dancers at Expression’s Academy of Performing Arts who have been selected to travel to Kiev, Ukraine for five days in April.

The group’s ballet tutor, Tatiana Tretyakova, previously a soloist in the Bolshoi Ballet, has selected the pupils to travel to train at at the Ukraine Academy of Pop and Circus Arts, which is responsible for training some of the top artists in Cirque du Soleil worldwide.

The students, including Samworth’s Kyla Renshaw, Tilly Epton, Imogen Hursthouse, and Shannon and Liberty Atkinson, will train for five days in dance, gymnastics, acrobatic and aerial arts (hoop and silks) in a purpose-built academy.

They will receive full certification at the end of their training.

The group is fundraising towards the cost of the trip and has launched a £4,200 appeal.

To make a donation go to their JustGiving page.