Body-popping ballerinas in new street dance show

Street dance world champions Flawless are joining forces with English National Ballet for a show and nationwide tour.

The collaboration, involving 10 ballerinas and Flawless's 10 men in a mix of street dance, acrobatics and ballet, was announced today.

It echoes the hit movie StreetDance 3D - in which Flawless appeared. The film plot sees a group of street dancers encounter the world of ballet while reluctantly accepting rehearsal space in a ballet school rather than having to split up.

Flawless first met ENB members in May, when both groups performed for the Queen at Buckingham Palace. A joint five-minute performance followed for the Peace One Day concert at the 02 in September.

Now the ballerinas will be popping and locking while the street dancers will learn a new elegance as they lift and hold their pirouetting partners.

Marlon Wallen, 26, artistic director of Flawless, who were Britain's Got Talent finalists in 2009, said: "It's the most exciting project we've embarked on, just the respect we have for ENB and how we're experimenting, working together and seeing what magic can be created. It's a playground of ideas."

Jenna Lee, 27, ENB soloist and choreographer, said: "I think we've both got a really big appreciation of what each other does."

ENB artistic director Wayne Eagling said such collaborations were vital to keep the company fresh and modern. "I can't wait to see the show unfold and to see a whole new audience introduced to the world of ballet."

The show, called Time Is Of The Essence, will premiere at the HMV Apollo Hammersmith on June 1 before a national tour including Wimbledon and Woking.