For dancer Mia Paske from Old Bar, hard work and dedication towards her goals are paying off.

The 15-year-old has been accepted as a full-time student of the Queensland Ballet Academy and will begin her training and schooling there in January 2021.

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Gaining acceptance into the school is something Mia, a student of the Andrea Rowsell Academy of Dance, has been working towards for a number of years.

In 2018 and 2019 she attended the Queensland Ballet Elite Summer School and last year in July attended for a week as part of a guest associate program with the academy.

This year she was accepted into the academy's associate program and was meant to attend four times throughout the year, however COVID-19 restrictions meant she hasn't been able to visit as much as planned.

"They got everyone to re-audition and send in a clip."

Mia was able to travel to Queensland in week two of this term (just before borders were closed again) and on the last day they came to watch her perform.

A little over two weeks later she received the news she had been dreaming of - she had been accepted into the academy full-time.

Her mum received the email and contacted Miss Andrea at the dance studio as Mia was in class. They called her back at the end to tell her the news.

"I found out with Miss Andrea. That was the best part," said Mia.

"We were both crying, laughing and happy and couldn't speak, and mum was on the other end crying.

"I couldn't have done it without Miss Andrea."

The Queensland Ballet Academy is based in Kelvin Grove. "They have six studios on campus at the school, so it's all in one place."

Mia said because she has been able to participate in different things with the Queensland Ballet, she has a good feel for what it's like and what she's getting into.

"The atmosphere is so lovely and everyone is so nice and they have amazing teachers."

She will be billeted with a family while attending the academy and her schedule will see her dancing from 8am to 1pm, having a break and then at school subjects from 1.50pm to 4.45pm.

One thing she's excited about is being with other dancers who she hopes all want the same thing she does.

"They'll be future colleagues.

"As much as I'll miss everyone here, I get to meet new people and will be working toward my future."

Mia will attend the academy until she finishes high school and said that as long as she's passing and moving through her ballet exams she won't need to re-audition to keep her place.

"Obviously it's going to be hard, you've got to respect that, but they've got everyone's best interests at heart.

"I love all the teachers, they're all so good."

A physiotherapist is also on site, there are pilates and stretch classes, as well as a gym.

"I'm so happy," said Mia. "And I'm happy I'm going now and not earlier. I feel ready now".

Mia and her family now have six months to prepare and then adjust to her being away to study and embracing whatever comes.

"I'll be ringing home every night and Miss Andrea every week."

Mia said she is excited to learn the repertoire and discover different interpretations as well as the chance to take character classes and contemporary classes as well as group work .

Dancing for six hours a day, Mia said she is hoping to see a lot more development in her work over the next three years and is ready to take on critique.

"I love perfecting things and being able to master things and watching the work pay off.

"Even though I'm in, it will still be very hard. There will be so many good people, I have to keep proving myself."

Mia will also be involved in a performance halfway through the year and a gala performance at the end of the year.

Once she has completed the Academy Program, Mia can progress to the academy's full-time Pre-Professional Program, and then audition for the Queensland Ballet's Jette Parker Young Artist Program, a lead in to the Queensland Ballet company.