Jessa Leroux鈥� dance career is spinning into high gear, and it鈥檚 about to launch her across the globe.

The 19-year-old 91原创 ballerina has been invited to  Cape Town, South Africa, from Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, where she will compete against some of the best young dancers the Royal Academy form has to offer.

Leroux, who trains with Miss Irina out of Lavrova Academy on the 91原创-Surrey border, earned the invitation last spring, receiving a mark of 鈥淒istinction鈥� at the highest level of dance during her exams.

Although the spot was immediately available to her, based strictly on her grades, Leroux wanted to consider her options before committing to the international competition.

In March, she decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up, and began preparing to take on the world.

Although she has no idea how many dancers will be competing in Cape Town, Leroux can narrow down the countries of origin, based on the style of dance that is popular in any given region.

This is a Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) gathering, which means dancers will likely be coming from North America, Australia and England, but not from Eastern Europe, where the Russian style is preferred, she explained.

Leroux will perform three dances (hopefully) over two rounds of competition. The first round will narrow the field to 16. From there, the top dancers will be named.

She will perform a list of famous variations from the 19th century ballet La Bayad猫re, and from a 20th century version of Swan Lake, as well as one piece she will be assigned and begin learning once she arrives in Africa.

Each routine will be only about 90 seconds in length, Leroux said. But that doesn鈥檛 mean they won鈥檛 be challenging.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e short, but quite intricate.鈥�

Regardless of how she places, the opportunity to compete at this level is invaluable, she said.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to watch everyone dance. It will be such a learning experience, I don鈥檛 care how I do.鈥�

But it won鈥檛 be all business for the young ballerina and her mother, who will join her on the trip.

Leroux is hoping to take a small safari, though she鈥檒l be many miles from the Serengeti.

She was also keen to find out if the strength and balance she鈥檚 been developing for the past 16 years will serve her as well on a surf board as it does a dance floor.

鈥淏ut after watching Shark Week (on Discovery Channel) I鈥檓 not so sure,鈥� she laughed.

Since she pulled on her first pair of slippers at age three, there鈥檚 been no looking back for the young dancer 鈥� unless it was in mid-twirl 鈥� although she admits there were times along the way when it was tough to watch her friends out having fun while she went off to practice.

Around age 13, the lessons get much more difficult and, frankly, a little dry, she said.

鈥淭here were definitely times when I said, 鈥楳om, I鈥檓 quitting.鈥�

鈥淏ut  you push through it.鈥�

By the end of the dance season, when the big year-end show rolled around, it was always fun again.

Dancing The Nutcracker every Christmas with the Royal City Youth Ballet has been another highlight of Leroux鈥� career.

鈥淚 love being on stage. I can鈥檛 imagine not dancing,鈥� she said.

She鈥檒l apply for a spot in the different dance companies, in the hope she can turn her talent and years of hard work into a paying gig.

There is also the teaching route, which she is already pursuing, taking on younger students at Lavrova Academy, knowing that even at the tender age of 19 she has, perhaps, another 10 years of solid dancing left in her.

鈥淕etting to 30 and still being a dancer is not too common,鈥� she conceded.

Leroux is also studying criminology and psychology at University of the Fraser Valley.

鈥淚t has nothing to do with dance,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I thought I鈥檇 give myself a little back up.鈥�

鈥� Brenda Anderson