By Katharyn Daniels

A DANCE company, formed to challenge the traditional 'ballerina shape' have performed at a popular festival.

Five girls from RSK Youth Dance Company, Malvern, performed alongside Roving Crows, an English folk band, at the Lakefest Festival on Sunday, August 13.

"It was amazing to be a part of and a really good opportunity for the girls. It went really well, they loved it," said Rebecca Sloan-Kirton, who set up the group a year ago, along with Royal Ballet School alumni Ali Clerici.

They wanted to start a group that didn’t discriminate but was for fantastic dancers who can dance.

The group shared the bill at the festival, which took place at Eastnor Castle, with Imelda May, Wilko Johnson, Feeder and The Charlatans, among others.

The collaboration with Roving Crows happened because Mrs Sloan-Kirton, who runs Ballet Malvern Centre of Dance in Cowleigh Road, Malvern, wanted to work with music that she knew where it came from.

"We spoke to Roving Crows to see if they would be interested and they were thinking about having some dancers," she explained.

“The girls have performed with orchestras before, but bands can be a bit different. The dancers needed to be really aware of what they were doing.”

RSK performed at the album launch of the Crows new album, Bury Me Naked, at Gloucester Guildhall in April.

After impressing the critically acclaimed band, they were invited to join them on the summer festival circuit.

Mrs Sloan-Kirton said: “They did such a fantastic job at the Roving Crows’ album launch, and the crowd absolutely loved them.

"It’s something very different to what we normally do, and it was a challenge - which makes the success of the dances even more rewarding.

"We’re absolutely thrilled the band has asked our dancers to perform with them again.”

The group have two more performances planned with Roving Crows, in September and October, as well as a separate performance at Ragley Hall in December.

For more information about RSK Youth Dance Company, visit balletmalvern.co.uk