Two Bradford dancers employed by the acclaimed Northern Ballet face an uncertain future after the company announced it could lose a quarter of its dancers due to funding cuts.

The Leeds-based ballet company has launched a ‘Sponsor a Dancer’ scheme in a bid to fill a gap in Government funding and retain its full complement of 40 dancers.

Northern Ballet suffered a 15 per cent reduction to its core funding for 2012 to 2015, in cutbacks announced earlier this year. It stands to lose up to ten dancers over the coming year.

The fundraising campaign invites the public, private donors, companies, trusts and foundations to sponsor a dancer.

Sponsorship levels range from £30 to £10,000 per year in return for signed photos, updates from the sponsored dancer, opportunities to see them in rehearsal and after performances, newsletters and invitations to special events.

Lori Gilchrist, of Eccleshill, started ballet dancing aged four at Pamela Gibson’s School of Dance in Cleckheaton.

“I have been going to watch Northern Ballet at the Alhambra since I was five,” said the former Hanson School pupil.

“The company inspired me to train to become a professional dancer and my ambition was to dance with Northern Ballet.”

Northern Ballet’s academy trains younger dancers, including youngsters from the Bradford district. Josh Barwick, of Horsforth, trained with the academy before joining the company as an apprentice last year.

He said: “It’s a big step straight from school and a whole different life. An apprenticeship is a great way of taking that step.”

Josh and Lori will be in Northern Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker at the Alhambra next month.

Chief executive Mark Skipper said: “Our dancers are our greatest asset. In order to ensure we can maintain a full complement of dancers and continue to commission the new productions for which we have an unrivalled reputation, private investment is of paramount importance.”

For more about about the campaign visit northernballet.com or contact Jon Ingham, director of fundraising, on (0113) 220 8000 or at jon.ingham@northernballet. com.

Tickets for The Nutcracker are available on (01274) 432000.