Edge Hill University Dance student who broke ankle defies odds

An Edge Hill University graduate who feared she may never dance again after breaking her ankle has defied the odds on the way to realising her dream of becoming a professional dancer.

Lydia Horne had to defer her place at Edge Hill University by a year after breaking her ankle a week before she was due to start, on top of months of anxiety and depression following the intensity of her exams. 

But when she finally arrived in Ormskirk she was ready to make the most of university life and threw herself into every opportunity – from winning dance competitions and representing the EHU Dance Society to volunteering with dance companies.

And now Lydia is preparing to join the prestigious and highly selective Joss Arnot Dance Performance and Professional Practices programme, working with internationally acclaimed choreographers to produce an exciting programme of new performance work over the course of a year.

She said: “I’ve always danced since I was little but never really had the confidence in myself. 

“I’d got to the point where I could see myself pursuing dance as a career and suddenly it was all put in jeopardy.

“I was absolutely devastated, sat in A&E knowing I had broken my ankle and contemplating what I would do if I couldn’t dance.

“I’d already accepted my place at Edge Hill but they let me defer and thankfully I made a full recovery.

“To go from that low to the high of graduating and being able to see a future for myself as a professional dancer has been amazing.”

Lydia, who has dyslexia, praised Edge Hill staff for their support and commitment to providing students with opportunities for work experience and professional development. 

She added: “Our tutors have really prepared us for work, I feel ready to make a career out of dance, from teaching different age groups to performance, community work and choreography. 

“I’ve loved my time at Edge Hill, I feel like I found myself here, I’ve found my own dance style.

Originally from Harrogate, Lydia has worked with Ludus Dance children’s dance charity – including a performance at Light Up Lancaster – and Company Chameleon’s youth dance company, after Edge Hill introduced the organisations to students. 

Lydia has also excelled when competing for the EHU Dance Team, winning best female dancer in the University of Liverpool’s 2021 dance competition and she choreographed the team’s ballet dance at the 2022 Liverpool John Moores University dance competition which placed third. 

For more info on Edge Hill University click here.