“I am pleased to confirm that The Royal Ballet School in London has offered a full-time place in Year 7 of our Lower School to Prisca Bertoni, commencing September 2008 through to July 2013 subject to satisfactory annual appraisals.”

I will always remember the moment I heard that I had successfully passed through the stringent audition process and that within a few months White Lodge would become my home. I couldn’t stop spinning around and jumping for joy. However, perhaps I should have paid more attention to those last five words.

As I commence my fifth and final year here I have been reflecting on my life at The Royal Ballet School; it really is an environment like no other and it is easy to understand how it is respected as one of the top ballet schools in the world. Creating a positive and lasting success in life requires the…