A young dancer from South Oxhey will be performing to keep her place in a BBC competition, on millions of television screens across the country tomorrow night.

Charlotte Scally is one of 20 dancers left in So You Think You Can Dance, a talent show where contestants perform for a panel of judges each week.

After a tough series of auditions, and a live showcase last Saturday, Ms Scally will now face being one of two contestants voted off the programme each week.

Beverley Scally, her mother, added: “The first show went really well, it was quite surreal sitting in the audience watching my daughter for the first time on live television.

“As there were no eliminations we could relax and enjoy it, but we're very nervous for her because this week two dancers will be voted off.

“A lot of the other have had a lot of professional work, Charlotte is only in her second year at college, but we think she's got as good a chance as any.

“She's so passionate about her dancing and she really wants to make something of her life.”

Ms Scally first learned Irish dancing in Watford, and is now studying at the prestigious Urdang Performing Arts College in the West End of London.

She then auditioned for five top dance colleges, hoping to be offered a place at one of them.

Not only was she given a place at all five school, two of them offered her a scholarship.

The 20-year-old said: “I didn't start dancing at a young age, I attended KliKs Dance Academy in South Oxhey when I was eleven, and then Collective Dance College in Rickmansworth when I was 16.

“I heard about this programme through a friend, but wasn't going for it until my nan heard about it and persuaded me. I went in as a jazz dancer because I'd recently been studying it.

“I didn't think I'd get through the first round, so I was really surprised. Normally if I'm going on holiday I'd take loads of suitcases, but I only took half a case because I didn't think I'd be here long.

“I just took it day by day, and kept telling my mum to be free to pick me up but they kept asking me to come back.

“The rehearsals have been going really well, it's the hardest thing I've ever had to do but will pay off for the live shows.”

You can see Ms Scally on Saturday night at 6.45pm, on BBC One.

Beverley Scally, a home-carer, added: “I feel so proud of her getting this far, and she's really enjoying working with the choreographers. We're looking forward to seeing her at the live show this weekend, there are 16 of us going down so she'll have plenty of support.”