A BALLET dancer from Bury struck a pose to become the face of a new campaign celebrating Manchester Airport’s support for the arts.

Johanna Hadley, aged 22, turned heads at Terminal 3 when she took part in a seven-hour photo shoot to mark the airport giving away £340,000 to organisations such as Bury Met.

Manchester Airport Group announced the funding grants to mark 25 years of supporting the arts.

Johanna studied at Bury Grammar School from aged four to aged 13 and then went to Chetham’s School of Music, where she specialised in piano.

Now working as a freelance dancer — mainly in ballet, but also in tap, jazz, contemporary and other styles — Johanna entered the Dance Anywhere competition organised by The Lowry Theatre.

Performers were encouraged to send in pictures of themselves dancing in public and judges chose two of Johanna’s images to appear at a Lowry exhibition, one of her dancing on a Salford Quays footbridge and the other outside Bury Art Gallery.

As a result of the competition, Johanna, of Rhiwlas Drive, Fishpool, was invited to the airport photoshoot. Johanna said: “It was quite interesting posing for pictures on airport travelators and on baggage trolleys.

“Quite a few of the people going on holiday were a bit confused by it, but others thought it was funny and got their cameras out to snap us. I have got some Royal Academy of Dance exams soon and all I want to do is keep on dancing.”

Sarah Brookes, from Manchester Airport Group, explained why it had donated the cash to The Met and other venues. She said: “We firmly believe that a healthy theatre and arts scene supports inbound tourism and investment, and we are proud to support such a vibrant cultural community.”