A TALENTED teenager is celebrating after clinching a place at a prestigious dance academy.

Shannon Brown, 18, showed her pirouetting potential at a young age and has now been awarded a place at the Royal Academy of Dance.

The prodigy first stepped onto a dance floor when she was just three-years-old and joined Clacton’s Dance Foundation when she was six.

Since then she has flown through the grades, impressing everyone with her progress.

Now she will continue mastering the dancing arts at the world famous London academy – following in the footsteps of her Dance Foundation teachers Vanessa Rendell and Amanda Wallsgrave.

Vanessa said: “Shannon’s mum took her to dancing lessons when she was just three as she was always dancing to music.

“Her family moved to Clacton when Shannon was six and that’s when she started lessons with us at Dance Foundation.

“Straight away she showed signs of becoming a talented dancer when she got a very high distinction for her primary ballet examination.”

Shannon went on to gain a distinction for every graded exam, up to grade eight.

She also achieved all of her jazz awards with distinction and reached grade six with a merit in tap dancing, as well as progressing through an advanced syllabus for full-time dancers.

Vanessa added: “Shannon’s achievements so far are just astounding for her young age.

“We will miss her very much and we wish her all the best for the future and congratulate her on her outstanding achievement.”

The Royal Academy of Dance has a glittering list of alumnis, including Margot Fonteyn, Kenneth MacMillan and Strictly Come Dancing’s Darcey Bussell.

It also boasts the Queen as its patron.

Dance Foundation was launched in 1958 – then called the Ivy Baker School of Dancing – and was the first school in Tendring recognised by the Council for Dance Education and Training.

Teacher Vanessa was the first student from Dance Foundation to earn a place at the Royal Academy of Dance in 1993.

She returned to teach in Clacton and her first student to be awarded a place at the academy was Amanda Wallsgrave – also now a Dance Foundation teacher.

Shannon will be the ninth student from the school to join the ranks.