Nine-year-old dancer lands coveted role

Warkworth dancer Brooke McMahon, 9, has landed a role in the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s big production for the year, Sleeping Beauty.

Brooke auditioned with 200 other young hopefuls to gain selection for one of the 22 roles offered to dancers in her age group.

She is playing an attendant to the Lilac Fairy, allowing her to perform alongside one of the main protagonists in the ballet for several dances.

The role requires her to participate in rehearsals in Auckland each week up until opening night on October 29.

She will take part in three performances at Auckland’s Aotea Centre next month.

The Sleeping Beauty role follows a string of earlier achievements for Brooke, including being accepted into the Dance Masters International programme, which selects only 16 children each year. And she recently scored 92 per cent in her Royal Academy of Dance exam.

Brooke has travelled to competitions in Auckland, Whangarei, Rotorua and Waihi and gathered 28 trophies last year.

“It’s an impressive shelf,” says her mum Louise McMahon.

Brooke has been dancing under the guidance of Carla Talbot, at the Talbot Dance Academy in Warkworth, since she was three years old.  

“We are very lucky to have such a great local teacher,” Louise says.

Brooke will also be performing in the Talbot Academy end of year production.

When she is not dancing, Brooke loves motocross and does trail rides with the Warkworth Motorcycle Club.

“Some days she has to rush out of her motorcycle gear and into her ballet costume,” Louise says.