Fifteen-year-old Mollie Zambon was handpicked after the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School held an intensive summer program last month.

Mollie had been training five days a week leading up to her audition.

"I'm so happy and excited but very nervous," she said. "I love the feeling dance gives me. It's a beautiful and a quiet art.

"It makes it easier to know what I'm going into, and I already know the students and teachers as I met them during the summer school."

Mollie said she'd take away a wealth of knowledge from her past five years of training under artistic director Tim Podesta, as part of the PROJECTion dance company.

"I've learnt so much from Tim," she said. "He's taught me how to back myself and be confident in situations even if I'm not.

"I'm going to miss my family and friends here as well as the familiarity, but I know I'm going to be supported over there."

Alongside her talent and determination, her strong and clean technique was acknowledged during her audition, which now has opened up many opportunities.

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She will fly out of Australia at the end of the month, where she will undertake the year-long scholarship. But Mollie said she wants to make the most out of the opportunity and stay there for three years.

Podesta said he knew Mollie would be a budding star five years ago.

He said her potential came through in drive and discipline, which she displayed in class.

"Selection and the scholarship offer only confirmed my thoughts," Podesta said "I have trained many dancers who are now performing all over the world.

"When seeing Mollie, I had no doubt of her capacity to find success."

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