Family sell home for ballet fees

Advertisement

Home sold to fund ballet dream

A real-life Billy Elliot has started at a prestigious ballet school after his parents sold their house in order to pay the £22,000-a-year fees.

Dominic Handford, 11, beat hundreds of hopefuls to secure a place at Elmhurst School for Dance in Birmingham.

Adele and Jonathan Handford sold their four-bedroomed home in Carmarthenshire for a reduced price to fund his course.

Dominic said his parents "were the best in the world" as they supported him and allowed him to pursue his dream.

Friends and family in Penygroes near Ammanford pulled together to raise funds for Dominic's first term at the ballet school.

But the Handfords decided to sell their home to raise enough money and secure their son's next seven years there.

The family went up for sale for £158,000 but eventually had to accept an offer of £135,000.

"We know it is a bad time to sell - but we had to do it. We had to lower the price to sell it," said 43-year-old Mrs Handford.

A lot of my friends were dreading their first day back in school but I can't wait. My parents are the best in the world. Dominic Handford

Following the sale, the family including Yasmin, 13, Charles, six, and four-year-old Connor, have moved to stay with Mrs Handford's mother at Pontardulais, near Swansea.

"Some people might think we are mad - but this was too good an opportunity for Dominic to miss. It is his dream.

"It's been a big upheaval. We've gone from a four-bed, three-storey house to two bedrooms at my mum's," Mrs Handford added.

"And because my mother's home is eight miles away from where we used to live the children have had to start new schools.

"But nobody is complaining - not even the children who are treating it as an adventure.

"Dominic was born to be a dancer so we are all prepared to sacrifice so that he can succeed."

Dominic's mother Adele is supporting him fully

He attended ballet classes when he was six after he watched the cartoon Angelina Ballerina.

Dominic's teacher - like the Julie Walters character in the film Billy Elliot - spotted his potential and recommended him for an audition with the Royal Ballet.

He was accepted and was advised to try for Elmhurst School for Dance in Birmingham, one of the UK's oldest dance schools, which trains ballet students from the age of 11.

"I'm so excited about starting school. I've always loved ballet and doing it all the time is my dream," Dominic said.

"A lot of my friends were dreading their first day back in school but I can't wait. My parents are the best in the world."