A student at an Argyll dance school is the only British woman selected to take part in a prestigious competition in Switzerland next month.
Natasha Watson, 18, is a BA student at Ballet West, based in Taynuilt, near Oban.
She has been selected to take part in the prestigious Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland in February.
Immediately on her return to Scotland she will be dancing in Ballet West’s St Valentine’s night performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Clyde Auditorium at the SECC (The Armadillo).
Miss Watson is one of only 39 girls from across the globe to be selected to compete in the Prix de Lausanne. Previous winners have included renowned dancers Darcey Bussell and Carlos Acosta.
She said: “It is a tremendous honour to be selected. I am so grateful to my outstanding teachers at Ballet West for their enormous help and encouragement. They have been an inspiration for me.”
Miss Watson, from Falkirk, was a bronze medallist in the 2013 Genee International Ballet competition in Glasgow, following in the footsteps of her teachers at Ballet West, Sara Maria and Jonathan Barton. As a result she was invited by Scottish Ballet to appear in their production of Hansel and Gretel.
She is not only a rising star in ballet, but also an award winning actress. As an actresshe played Zoe in the CBBC series M.I. High, and starred alongside David Tennant in the BBC series, Single Father, and was named “Best new Scottish Actress at the Scottish Variety Awards.
Now Miss Watson has decided to concentrate on her ballet training, and is in her final year of a BA Hons degree course at Ballet West. Her training is supported by the Dewar Arts Award.