A DUBBO teenager will train to be a professional ballet dancer under the supervision of Mao's Last Dancer and Queensland Ballet artistic director, Li Cunxin.
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Oscar del Bao has secured one of only 17 places in the Queensland Ballet's 2016 pre-professional program, coveted by hundreds of aspiring young dancers across Australia.
The full-time and intensive course aims to prepare talented young dancers for a career in a professional ballet or dance company.
Oscar and his fellow students will perform in two major productions of Queensland Ballet next year as part of their training.
A student of Dubbo Ballet Studio (DBS) since the age of four, Oscar's talent was noted before he successfully auditioned for the program earlier this year.
In 2010 he took part in the Australian Ballet School's international/ interstate training program.
Oscar also successfully auditioned for the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts' (WAAPA) Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance) course in 2015, turning down the opportunity when the Brisbane-based program opened up a place for him.
The 17-year-old is taking it all in his stride.
"Yeah, it's sweet," he told the Daily liberal.
" I didn't think my audition went as well as the WAAPA audition so I was really happy when Queensland Ballet made an offer.
" I was only young when Mum took me on holidays to Brisbane so I can't remember it very well but I think I'll like living there."
Oscar's mother Linda Christof tells of him being "focused from such a young age" and her belief that "he will do well in his chosen career".
DBS principal Anna Bloomfield is full of praise for her student who will perform the lead role in the studio's end-of-year concert Peter Pan on December 5.
"This is an awesome achievement for a country kid," she said.
"Places in these programs are generally given to students who have studied for many years at a full-time institution including the Australian Ballet School.
"For a young boy from Dubbo it's unbelievable and a testament to his extraordinary ability."
Li Cunxin's international best-selling autobiography, Mao's Last Dancer, was published in 2003.
It has received numerous awards and was adapted as a feature film in 2009.