A STUDENT from County Durham has just signed his first professional dance contract with a company which inspired him from the outset.

Blaine Richardson, of Bishop Auckland, will perform on tour in Italy and the UK with the internationally acclaimed BalletBoyz starting next month.

Currently in his final year at London's Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the 20-year-old has been signed as an apprentice by the Kingston-upon-Thames outfit.

The three-month contract has coincided with the last three months of his degree, requiring special permission from the principle to take it on.

Sue Richardson, Blaine's mother, said: "It's a marvellous opportunity for him. It's been his absolute dream to work with that company - the very first contemporary company that we saw together at Darlington [Hippodrome].

"He's had some wonderful opportunities to work with different companies and choreographers and to land his first professional dancing engagement with a company that he has so admired is fantastic."

Blaine was brought up dancing Latin and ballroom and Richardson's Dance Studio in Bishop Auckland - run by his mother and father, former World Ten Dance Champion Gary Richardson.

At the age of 16 Blaine left Wolsingham School to study dance at Gateshead College where he "fell in love with contemporary and ballet".

"It's taken lots of hard work and he just lives and breathes it," added Mrs Richardson. "He's so elated."

The ambitious dancer will perform at Darlington Hippodrome when the BalletBoyz return to the North-East on Wednesday, May 2.