YOUNG talented pupils of the Skipton based Northern Dance Centre are flying high with their recent outstanding exam results.

Not only have the children all gained distinctions, but they all achieved marks from between 91 and 98 per cent.

Those to achieve the highest marks were eight year olds, Georgina Hughes, with 97 per cent, and Kitty Picken, with 98 per cent for their Grade Two modern exam.

In the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet, every child entered in the intermediate exam also gained a distinction, which is unprecedented, says the school's principal, Amy Addison.

"The exams are notoriously difficult to pass and these children are aged only 13 and 14 years old, " said Ms Addison.

“We have lots of extraordinarily talented children in the school who work extremely hard, and with the support of their parents and our gifted and dedicated teachers encouraging them, they always achieve their absolute best; these are highly sought after and wonderful results for the children to get, I am extremely proud of them all," she said.

The Northern Dance Centre, the longest established school in Yorkshire, is based at Craven Hall, Sackville Street, Skipton, with lessons also held at Operatic House, Leeds Road, Ilkley.

It holds classes for children and adults from two years old, in ballet, modern, tap, folk dance, acrobatics, drama and musical theatre.

Further recent successes at Northern Dance Centre and Ilkley Dance Centre include:

Elijah Chandler, seven, St Stephen's School; and Evie White, eight, Gargrave Primary School, have been asked to join the Royal Ballet Junior Associates.

The school's head girl Imogen McCabe, 18, also head girl at Settle College, is looking forward to taking up her full-time place on the Musical Theatre degree course at the Hammond School in Chester.

Daisy Newton, 14, has auditioned successfully for Renaissance Arts Scholars at Yorkshire Dance Centre

Ruby Picken, 14, and Rosie Robinson, 14, both Senior Associates at Northern Ballet, and 13 year Harry Mitchell, 13, and 12 year old Verity Picken, 12, are Intermediate Associates.

Ruby, who attends Ilkley Grammar School, will be joining the prestigious National Youth Ballet for the third consecutive year this summer.

Hattie Stocks, 10, begins full-time training at the Royal Ballet School's White Lodge in September.

Erin Brailsford, 10, has auditioned successfully for the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) scheme at Northern Ballet and continues as a Junior Associate of the Royal Ballet.

Maggie Hudson, 13, Lilia Harris, 13, and Lilyana Dhillon-Downey, 13. have auditioned successfully for the CAT scheme at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds.

Children and students are currently preparing for more exams in all areas of dance, in addition to performing at events before a three week summer school.