Audition mix-up bags Mackworth mum role in fairytale ballet

A mum landed herself a role in a fairytale ballet alongside her six-month-old daughter after mistakenly turning up to an audition.

Libby Kenyon thought she had signed up for a free parent and child workshop with her daughter Darla-Bloom.

It was only at the end of the session, at Derby's Déda dance centre, that the 33-year-old realised she had taken part in an audition.

She was given a role in balletLORENT's Rapunzel alongside her daughter.

Ms Kenyon, a beauty and massage therapist from Mackworth, in Derby, has not studied performance since completing GCSEs in dance and drama more than 15 years ago.

But she wowed the casting panel with her "energy and easy manner".

She said: "I think I probably performed better because I didn't realise it was an audition.

"There was no pressure as I thought I was there just to enjoy moving to music with my baby.

"I definitely have a habit of ending up in funny situations and this has to be one of the best."

Ms Kenyon and her daughter will appear in two "magical dream" scenes.

Debbi Purtill, rehearsal director with balletLORENT, ran the audition alongside creative partner and lead dancer Gavin Coward.

She said: "We selected Libby to join the cast of Rapunzel as a paid performer because she had a really nice energy as she moved and she interacted well with the other dancers.

"I couldn't believe it when I later found out she was not a trained dancer."

Rapunzel is at Derby Theatre on 9 and 10 February.

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