July 2015 will see Danceworks, one of the capital’s dance training facilities offering classes in a multitude of genres, launch its Elite Summer Ballet School. Open to 8-16 year old boys and girls, parents of talented young dancers are invited to bring their children along to meet the team behind London’s newest international ballet school in June, with the free Open House including a demonstration class.
Danceworks will be hosting a 2 week intensive ballet training course preceding the launch of the Danceworks International Ballet Academy which will open in September, to become London’s newest centre of excellence for training young ballet dancers. The course runs between 20 and 31 July and is open to both boys and girls. There are a limited number of scholarships on offer and the academy will consequently offer elite training to young dancers wishing to develop their love of dance.
Two renowned American ex-professional dancers are behind the new Academy initiative to promote the very best ballet training. Kim White, the Course Director and Antonia Franceschi, the Artistic Director, were both members of the New York City Ballet Company. Kim later set up and ran the Vevey Children’s Ballet School in Switzerland for many years. She devised, choreographed and directed a number of full ballets in Vevey’s local theatre. Antonia, who was a Principal ballerina at the New York City Ballet, also performed in the films ‘Grease’ and ‘Fame’. She teaches at the Royal Ballet School.
Both women believe passionately in the quest to perfect the art of ballet training. Their original course syllabus, the International Ballet Curriculum©, will focus, among other things, on the unique physicality of the American ‘school’. In addition, one of the major aims of the Academy is to invite adult dancers from major ballet companies to rehearse, work with and perform alongside students in an annual theatrical production.