A dance student has said she feels helpless as her course faces being deferred a year, after critical funding was cancelled.

Rosie Henson, 16, enrolled with Southampton Dance College after finishing her school studies in June.

She’s one of seven pupils preparing to join the creative and performing arts course in September at DM Studios in Northam.

But funding previously promised by SCL Education was withdrawn two weeks ago, leaving her wondering if she’ll be able to fulfil her aspirations of having a career in dance.

Speaking to the Echo, accompanied by her mum Jackie, she said: “I feel helpless, this is something I’ve been looking forward to since finishing school.

“I’m dyslexic and this is a practical based course which is perfect for me and the nearest option to something like this is in London.”

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Hayley Stevens (left), Rosie Henson (centre), and Jackie Henson (right) (Image: Matt Davey)

The seven pupils enrolled on the course successfully auditioned to gain offers to the Level 3 Diploma.

Hayley Stevens has owned DM studios since 2016 and said she’s not known anything like it.

She said: “This has been 18 months in the planning and all of a sudden SCL Education – who were our financial partner – pulled out at the last minute and left us in limbo.

“We’ve had next to no communication apart from an initial email to notify us, we were told to expect a call last Monday but we’re still waiting.

“I’m now having to try and raise about £25,000 from private investors and sponsorship, at this point I’m prepared to do anything I have to do to get the course running, otherwise we face deferring it for a year, leaving the students having to look elsewhere with very little time left.”

Southampton Dance College was due to be delivered by SCL Creative, which then supports the course through government funding.

Hayley added: “They just said they wanted to go in a different direction, we couldn’t believe it and it seems to have affected other dance studios nationally.

“We’ve set up a GoFundMe – the course provides opportunities for students across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, in a really popular and engaging industry.

“We have to be able to pay for the teachers and have the facilities to lay on the course and without funding it’s impossible.”

In a letter to DM Studios, a spokesperson for SCL Education said the "board have decided to go in a different direction with funding for academic year 24-25".