Determined not to give up on his dream, Frankie has taken matters into his own hands — delivering leaflets door-to-door in his hometown, speaking to local businesses, and asking one simple question: ‘Can you help me keep dancing?’
Frankie was born with positional talipes (club foot), and as a young child, he also experienced joint pain from hypermobility syndrome. Far from holding him back, these early challenges became the foundation of his strength and discipline. He discovered ballet at the age of six — and from the very first class, he knew it was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
Since then, Frankie’s journey has been extraordinary. By the age of eight, he had earned a place in The Royal Ballet School’s Junior Associate Programme, where his passion and dedication continued to grow. Now living in Corby, Frankie represents the local area at one of the most competitive dance institutions in the world. He currently trains full-time at The Royal Ballet School in Richmond Park — one of just 9 boys in his year group, selected from over 1,000 applicants across the UK and beyond.
Frankie has already performed on some of the country’s most prestigious stages. He danced on the Royal Opera House stage with The Royal Ballet in Light of Passage and A Winter's Tale, performed the lead role of Luke in Roald Dahl’s The Witches at the National Theatre, and played Fletcher in The Bodyguard UK tour alongside Melody Thornton. He’s appeared in the BBC drama Wolf and performed with London Children’s Ballet in Anne of Green Gables in the West End. Although cast as ‘Robin’ in The Secret Garden, a broken toe meant he couldn’t go on stage at the Peacock Theatre in London.
One of Frankie’s proudest moments came in December 2024, when he performed at Westminster Abbey as part of the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas concert, which was broadcast nationally on ITV. Earlier this year, his own choreography was selected for The Royal Ballet School’s Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreographer programme – an amazing achievement for Frankie so early in his training.
Frankie’s place at the School is the result of years of dedication, natural musicality, and sheer determination. He receives partial funding through the Government’s Music and Dance Scheme, which helps with tuition, accommodation, and other core costs. However, the scheme does not cover everything — and with the recent government decision to apply 20% VAT to private school fees, the gap his Mum must cover has grown significantly.
Frankie’s mother, Lindsey, is a single parent working full-time for a Northampton-based mental health charity. But even with careful budgeting and personal sacrifice, she simply can’t afford to keep Frankie at the School without additional support. As the costs continue to rise, Frankie’s place is now at real risk.
Not one to give up, Frankie has launched his own local fundraising campaign. He’s been going door-to-door in Corby, delivering leaflets, speaking to local businesses, and sharing his story online through Ko-fi and GoFundMe. His message is simple: please help me keep dancing.
“Ballet is where I feel happiest,” he says. “When I dance, I feel calm and connected — like everything makes sense. It’s how I tell stories and show people how I feel without needing words.” Frankie trains six days a week, balancing his academic studies with an intense schedule of artistic training. A typical day at The Royal Ballet School begins with ballet from 8:30am to 11am, followed by lessons until 4pm, then more artistic training until around 6pm — with evening prep and Saturday morning classes rounding off a full six-day week. “It just doesn’t feel like work,” Frankie says. “I’ll never stop working hard — I just need help to keep going.”
How to help
Frankie and his Mum are now appealing to the local community and kind-hearted supporters who may be able to help. Every donation — big or small — brings him a step closer to continuing his training and achieving his dream of becoming a professional dancer.
If you would like to support Frankie, you can donate via:
Ko-fi.com/frankiekeita
GoFundMe.com/frankie-royal
Alternatively, sponsorship contributions can also be arranged directly through The Royal Ballet School’s parent finance team using his name – Frankie Keita:
parentfinance@royalballetschool.org.uk