DANCER Ryan Nash hopes to be toe-tapping his way to the West End after securing a £20,000 scholarship from Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruno Tonioli.

The 17-year-old, born in Freshbrook and now living under supported housing in Radnor Street, began a three-year higher national diploma in Performing Arts at the town’s Liberatus School of Performing Arts in September.

The school is one of the most prestigious of its kind in the south-west and had more than 400 applicants to enrol on its course this autumn.

Ryan was in an initial 20 selected to study at the school, but then faced another round of auditions, from which three were selected as winners of the three scholarships on offer.

Two of the £20,000 prizes were put up by EastEnders actor and dancer John Partridge and Tonioli’s former co-judge Arlene Phillips.

Without the scholarship, which is given directly to the school, Ryan would not have been able to pursue his dream education.

He said: “It’s great. I love it there. I can already see how far I have developed. It’s an incredibly supportive environment and the teachers are so helpful with their guidance,” said Ryan, who used to attend Mill-brook Primary School.

“I went along to an open evening this time last year, had a look around, and fell in love with it.”

Ryan has been dancing since age four, starting with a local group in Freshbrook before doing ballet in Wroughton and a year with the Youth Dance Academy at the Town Hall.

The former Ridgeway School pupil has found his way to a supported housing scheme after leaving home at the age of 15 following, what he said, was seven years of conflict with his mother’s partner.

Two “awful” spells in Leftwich Manor in Cheney Manor Road followed before Ryan was re-housed at his Radnor Street residence.

“My initial reaction wasn’t good, but it hasn’t proved as bad as I thought,” he said.

“I don’t know how much longer I will be there, but I’m thinking of going into the Key2 Project, with a flat instead.”

Ryan said he won the scholarship because judges liked his passion for the discipline and the potential he showed for the future.

It is hoped Bruno will be the man to hone the potential Ryan has shown into something of a West End star after a previous graduate of the school recently took to the stage as a dancer in The Lion King.

“I haven’t yet met him, but I did get lots of tweets off of him saying congratulations,” said Ryan.

“He is currently in the middle of filming Strictly Come Dancing of course, but I have been told he will be my mentor.”

Ryan said he is also likely to be shown on the new series of Britain’s Got Talent in February 2014 after auditioning earlier this year.