Budding ballerina has found her feet with Scottish Ballet as her career gets set for take-off

Anna Murray, 12, was one of 600 dancers who auditioned to get a place at the prestigious mid associates class.

The Gourock youngster, who has already spent two years studying with the junior associates, was only one of 30 successful students to win a place on the course.

Anna said: "I'm so pleased.

"I'm really looking forward to the new challenge."

Anna, a pupil at Clydeview Academy, dances five times a week.

She is a member of Julie Gunn's Elite Academy of Dance and Alba Ballet in Greenock and rehearses for four hours on a Saturday with Scottish Ballet at the Tramway in Glasgow.

Anna lives with mum Julie, dad Stuart and sister Isla, 10, in Kirn Gardens.

Julie, who is a midwife, said: "She's really dedicated and works really hard and fits her school work around it.

"We're very proud of her.

"It's a huge commitment.

"She been dancing since she was three and has been studying with Julie for seven years."

Ballet teacher Julie said: "It's really tough to get into the mid associates class.

"They take the junior associates weekly and monthly classes and basically cut them in half.

"As soon as Anna came here I saw her potential, she works really hard.

"Scottish Ballet only take on dancers in this class if they have really good potential and you find most of them will then go on to full-time training."