Isabella McGuire Mayes

Isabella is a plucky 16 yr old former White Lodge ballet student, who was offered a place at the legendary Vaganova Academy in St Petersburg last year. They broke the rules to accept her (the rules state that a foreign student must be aged at least 17 yrs), and Isabella is only the 2nd British student in the School's 270 year history to be offered a place.

Initially Isabella thought that she would study at the School for two years, but her teachers want her to learn everything which means a 4 yr study period. The costs for a foreign student are high, and include medical insurance for extensive physiotherapy and massage.

Isabella says that one day she wants to dance with The Royal Ballet.

Isabella has been short-listed for a programme called Great Britons, run by British Airways (click on "performing arts" when the page loads and scroll down to Isabella's picture). The programme helps young people overseas in various activities, to meet their travel costs.

Today's Evening Standard carries more information and photographs.

Here is a video clip about Isabella from YouTube.

There are only four days of voting left, so please do have a look at the information available and decide whether or not you want to vote for Isabella. You can read extracts from Isabella's diary which was featured in The Guardian, as well as download her media file.