16-03-2025
Joy for 'working class' West Midlands family as son gets place at prestigious London ballet school
A West Midlands family have been left in disbelief and pure joy at their son securing a place at London's prestigious Royal Ballet School.
Type 1 diabetic Carter J Mundon only started learning ballet two years ago but his talents were quickly spotted by local dance teachers who encouraged him to audition for a boarding space in the Royal Ballet School in London.
Despite battling a life-changing condition, Carter J underwent a gruelling training schedule to reach the final stages of auditions in London last month. Last week, the family, from Netherton in Dudley, received word that Carter J would be leaving behind his life in the West Midlands for the Royal Ballet's White Lodge residential school.
READ MORE: 'We're a normal working class family but our son is Birmingham's answer to Billy Elliot'
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"The first day in the morning I was quite nervous, the second day I was a bit more calm, I knew what was going to happen and I knew some of the teachers" said Carter J of his two-day audition which ran from February 27 to 28.
The Black Country schoolboy added: "I didn't know if I would get in but when I was walking around I was really hoping I would get in, the facilities [at White Lodge] are amazing, it is a massive place."
Describing themselves as "normal working class", Carter J's family explained that the schoolboy trains at Debonair Dance Academy in Cradley as well as the Royal Ballet in Birmingham across three days in the week.
On the audition process, Carter J's mum Biba Mundon said: "The children went in on the first day and on their own. The parents went in on the second day, they showed us the dorms. For myself and Wayne we were overwhelmed at the place at what he would be getting."
Biba works as a school support assistant and Carter J's dad Wayne as a civil servant, something which Biba said was a world away from dance and ballet.
Carter J was whittled down from a whopping 1,300 children to 29 at the audition stage in February. The family found out on March 5 that he was one of 12 to secure a coveted spot at the school - making him one of the top 1 percent.
Carter J will be heading to the opulent surroundings of Richmond Park-based White Lodge school in September as he embarks on five years of education, secured until he is 16.
Alongside dance training, he will study all the same subjects as any other secondary school student and live on-site.
Carter J explained: "My dance teachers have been really excited and really proud of me, saying it is an amazing achievement. My friends have said the same as well and have been sad I am leaving."
Speaking previously of his challenges with diabetes, mum Biba said: "We nearly lost him.
"Type 1 is a challenge for Carter, with his insulin. I think dance helps with his mental health. [It's] what he has achieved and obviously having type 1 diabetes is a challenge. He absolutely loves dance it is where he can express himself."
The family said they were pleased with the support Carter J would get with his diabetes while he lived at White Lodge.
Biba said: "It is worlds apart from what we are used to and where he would have been going to secondary school and his diabetes it is a big thing.
"They do a normal class for the audition, they don't have to audition a piece, it is seeing what potential they have got.
"He will live at White Lodge for five years, they do lots of things so children don't get home sick."
Carter J said the thing he was most excited about was the chance to do performances and shows throughout the year.
Speaking to BirminghamLive last year as Carter J embarked on his audition process, Biba explained: "It is crazy to think, my husband has always been football-orientated, to get his head around his youngest son loving dance, it makes him emotional to watch Carter J dance.
"When you are not from the dance world and you see your child get an audition for the best ballet schools in the country we have been over the moon. We are from Netherton, we are a normal working class family it is just amazing, we are so proud."
She said this week it was "surreal" to think that their son had reached the dizzying heights of the Royal Ballet.
"It shows he can do anything, the sky is the limit. It is just not an opportunity he thought he would be having" said Biba.
"Every parent wants the best for their children.
"We are so proud we can't believe it."
