Zoe (6) joins ballet stars in ‘Nutcracker’

Feb 21 2008 By Gary Fanning

A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl’s dreams came true when she took part in a performance of the famous ballet “The Nutcracker” at Edinburgh’s Playhouse last week.

Little Zoe Armstrong, of Denbeath Court, Ferniegair, had stars in her eyes when she appeared alongside the Russian School of Ballet on the opening night last Wednesday.

The Woodside Primary pupil became a ballerina for the day after she scooped the prize on STV’s new fivethirty show.

To win, Zoe had to sum up in 50 words why she wanted to become a ballerina.

In an email to the show, she said: “Every night I go to bed and dream of being a prima ballerina and for me to win would be my dream come true.”

Zoe was jumping for joy when she found out that she had clinched the prize.

As well as meeting the cast of the ballet and dancing on stage, Zoe was given a new ballet costume, ballet shoes and a makeover.

Zoe’s big day was filmed by STV and shown on the fivethirty show last Thursday.

Proud mum Leona said: “Zoe is dance-crazy and for her to become a ballerina was a dream come true.

“It was a fantastic prize for a six-year-old girl to go and meet the cast of the ballet.

“I told Zoe that hundreds of people would have entered the competition and that she probably wouldn’t win.

“So she was ecstatic when I told her that she had won the prize.”

Zoe has a brother Joshua (9), a primary five pupil at Woodside Primary, and an eight-month old sister Gabrielle.

The primary two pupil attends the Music Theatre in Motherwell twice a week and has been dancing since she was three.

Leona added: “She met the prima ballerina and was asking her all sort of questions.

“Zoe would love to become a prima ballerina and said she is going to work really hard to become one.”