The teenage ballerina who trained at the Mariinsky

Isabella McGuire Mayes , 17, is the first British dancer at the Vaganova academy, the school of Russia's prestigious Mariinsky (formerly Kirov) Ballet. She is now appearing in Swan Lake at the Coliseum, London. Q: How did you feel about being chosen to study at the Vaganova? A: I was overwhelmed. It was what I'd always wanted to do. Q: Was it hard leaving your family and friends behind? A: It was difficult at the start, but once I settled there it was fine. Q: What do you miss most? A: London and my cat. Q: How is your Russian? A: It's OK. Sometimes I stay with Russian families at the weekends, which offers good practice. Q: Do you feel you are missing out on normal teenage life? A: I've done this all my life so I don't know any other way of being. Q: What do you do in your free time? A: Training is quite tiring so I relax with people in my dormitory, or sometimes we go to a restaurant on Saturday night. • This article was amended on 16 July 2010. The original referred to the Varanova academy of the Kirov Ballet. This has been corrected.