Nutcracker and other Suite Things 2024 Performance at the Highgate URC raises £900 for charity!

On Wednesday 11th December 2024 more than 50 HBS dancers ages 7-18 took part in our our hugely popular pre-Christmas performance in the chapel space at the URC. The church was seasonally decorated and before the show the audience enjoyed a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie. The performance is now a favourite event on the HBS calendar and takes place each year after the annual Carols in Pond Square. Minister Jonathan Abernethy Barkley opened the show with a charity address calling all to support the annual winter weekend shelter at the URC, which is organised by C4Ws, churches in Camden providing winter shelters for the homeless.

This year we raised £906.44 in donations for the charity. Thank you to everyone to helped to get the dancers rehearsed and ready to dance on 11th December!

More Congratulations!

Marlie Bethel was talent scouted at the Cecchetti Classical Ballet Awards in November and  has been invited to join the Cecchetti Scholars starting in January 2025. Well done indeed!

Another Awards result, Eleonora Colista has been invited to attend a One Day Ballet Workshop at Central School of Ballet.

Well done to Alexi Mutasa, Eleonora Colista, Frances Webber, Marlie Bethel and Sophie Ollier who took part in the annual Cecchetti Children’s Awards this year which took place on Sunday 17th November 2024 at Central School of Ballet in SE1. Eleonora and Alexi gained Commendations in the Lower Junior and Junior Sections.

Congratulations to Jess McGillion who  auditioned successfully for the Tring Classical Ballet Academy Sunday programme and joins from January 2025.

HBS dancers feature on World Ballet (nerd) Day 2nd November 2024

and a dedication to Richard Glasstone

Abigail Price and Emily Licis featured in the first ever online World Ballet (nerd) Day hosted by the delightful Ballet Reign team aka Jordan and Eden. These two young balletomanes have a popular Youtube channel called Ballet Reign and when the Royal Ballet decided not to produce World Ballet Day 2024, Jordan and Eden invited dancers and teachers from around the world to send videos in for Ballet Reign’s own version they called World Ballet (nerd) Day! Here is the link:

https://youtu.be/-kSoNfg5IEQ?si=VdgI3A6PBTwKOFJd

Abigail and Emily were filmed doing the Cecchetti Advanced 1 traditional syllabus by George Massey (who produced Ballet’s Secret Code). The class was dedicated to Richard Glasstone MBE, master teacher of the Cecchetti Method, who passed away on 1st October 2024.

 

Goodbye and Good Luck!

Congratulations, Goodbye and Good Luck to long term HBS student Tilda Marriage- Massey who has gained a place at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and danced her final summer performances with the National Youth Ballet! Goodbye and good luck to Emma Scott who attends  LSE next year.

Emily Licis has a deferred place at The Place for Dance and continues at HBS until July 2025. She joined the Rambert Saturday Dance Programme for aspiring dancers for 2024-25. Micah Wei retains his place on Cecchetti Scholars and Cecchetti Associates.

Bella Rose Schilling and Sophie Ollier have gained places on the Cecchetti Scholars programme for 2024-25.

Chloe Forsyth, Eleonora Colista, Frances Webber, Marlie Bethel, Melissa Cagler, Naomi Horn, Sophie Ollier and Taia Goehring have gained places on the Cecchetti Associates Scheme for 2024-25 and Frances Webber has also been accepted onto CAT at The Place for the next academic year.

 

POSTCARDS

Highgate Ballet School Performance Weekend at the Arundel Centre, Channing School Highgate N6 on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July 2024

Congratulations to all the dancers in Primary and above who took part in three performances at the theatre located in Channing School over a very busy weekend! Guest artist Elsa Pountney a former student at HBS now at the Grad Pro programme in Birmingham, graced us with a variation from La Bayadere.  Thank you so much to all the backstage helpers and volunteers for assisting with chaperoning and costumes and a huge thank you to Pamela Tinker for all the additional costumes and alterations!

Thank you So Much Maddy!

It is with huge sadness that we say a partial goodbye to Maddy Wynne – Jones who is leaving us temporarily after 17 years of dedicated teaching and will be hugely missed! It won’t be for long though and she will be back to do workshops and hopefully to teach at HBS regularly in the very near future.

Goodbye to Flor!

We say a sad farewell to Florencia Riverti our contemporary dance teacher as she leaves HBS to work here and abroad, as a freelance dancer and choreographer.

Highgate Ballet School Dancers perform in the second annual pantomime with the Philippian Players at St Philip’s Church Hall, Finchley, 18th and 19th January 2024

Senior dancers from the unset class and junior dancers from contemporary dance performed in ‘Aladdin’ in 3 performances on 18th and 19th January 2024. Directed by former HBS dad Jean-Marc Evans who was a Philippian player in his childhood, the dancers were warmly welcomed by cast and audience alike. This is the second time Highgate Ballet School dancers have taken part in a most enjoyable local performance event and we look forward to them dancing again at the next pantomime in December 2024.

 

Annual Nutcracker Performance: Wednesday 13th December 2023

 

Our annual popular and much anticipated charity performance of The Nutcracker (and other suite things) took place in the beautiful chapel space of the URC at the end of the autumn term and the building was packed out by an enthusiastic audience of mums, dads, grandparents, siblings, former HBS dancers and friends! After the performance, buckets were passed around to raise money for the annual winter homeless shelter which hosts up to 20 guests on Sunday nights in the URC between November and February. This year’s charity grand total was £719! Photos of the performance by Karolina Webb will be posted on HBS social media pages.

As a very special highlight of the performance this year, guest artists Elsa Pountney and Ivan Kiselov delighted everyone with the spectacular Nutcracker Pas de Deux. Elsa Pountney is a former pupil at HBS and joined the new Carlos Acosta Scholarship programme beginning January 2024. Ivan Kiselov is a student at the London Studio Centre and is a former Danish U19 Ballroom Dancing champion. We look forward to Elsa and Ivan dancing as guests with HBS again next year!

Congratulations to our dancers  2023-2024

Mabel Ryan Awards took place at Elmhurst Ballet School Birmingham, Sunday November 19th 2023  Well done to Marlie Bethel and Frances  Webber  commended in the Lower Junior Section and to Eneliz Saipi, Lara Cohen and Sara Lebetiou  commended in the Senior Section of the Awards!

CONGRATULATIONS 2023!

Micah Wei Cecchetti Scholars

Emily Licis, English National Ballet Associates.

Chloe Forsyth, Frances Webber, Naomi Horn, Sophie Ollier, Marlie Bethel, Lara Cohen, Rebecca Marinelli, Micah Wei and Amyas Norman  Cecchetti Associates Programme

Isabelle McNamara Rambert Ballet School

Eleanor Campbell Barcelona Institute of the Arts in Spain from September 2023

Tilda Marriage-Massey  National Youth Ballet, Rambert Associates and English National Ballet Youth Dance Company.

Look out for HBS dancer Lila McNamara who features in the ensemble of school pupils in the full length feature film of Matilda!

2022-23

Fair in the Square, Saturday 10th June 2023

Dancers from Highgate Ballet School took part in the annual community performance on the small stage set up at the Fair in the Square on the afternoon of 10th June 2023. Dancers ages 7 to 15 performed ballet solos, duets, trios ending with a crowd pleasing contemporary dance choreographed by Florencia Riverti.

Mabel Ryan Competition November 2022

Lili Bar and Rebecca Marinelli were commended at the Cecchetti Classical Ballet Awards, also known as the ‘Mabel Ryans’ in November 2022. Well done to all the HBS dancers who took part in this annual competition showcasing Cecchetti trained dancers.

Highgate Ballet School celebrates 27 years: July 2022

Reflections in a Silver Stream Arundel Centre Theatre Performances 3rd and 10th July 2022

Past and present pupils from Highgate Ballet School took part in two celebratory performances at the Arundel Centre, Channing School, N6, on Sundays 3rd and 10th July 2022. Reflections in a Silver Stream showcased our dancers in ballet and contemporary dance with new choreography and traditional classical ballet solo variations and repertoire. Thank you to all the volunteers who gave so generously of their time backstage to help make these performances possible!

We were particularly delighted to be able to welcome former HBS dancers onstage including Sayaka Nagahiro and Rin Ishikawa who performed as special guest artists. Sayaka Nagahiro is now 1st Soloist at the Vanemuine Ballet Company in Estonia and Rin Ishikawa has joined English National Ballet. Also joining us onstage were former pupils Ruby McNamara, Aoife Walter and Noga Inspector. Noga graduated from Bird College in 2021

Contemporary dance class news: THRIVE Festival

The Thursday evening contemporary dance class were delighted to dance at the THRIVE Festival, which took place on Saturday 25th June 2022 at the Millfield theatre in Edmonton.

Congratulations!

Elsa Pountney  London Studio Centre Dance Degree

Lily Walker Dance Degree Course at The Place for Dance.

Micah Wei  Cecchetti Scholars,  Cecchetti Associates.

Bella Lundgaard  London Children’s Ballet Touring Company

Tilda Marriage Massey  Central School of Ballet for September (deferred)  National Youth Ballet, Rambert Saturday Associates

Ellie Campbell Rambert School Associates’ Programme

Eva Aziz Picardet and Emma Scott CAT programme at The Place

Masha Mann, Amyas Norman and Rebecca Marinelli, Frances Webber and Marlie Bethel, Cecchetti Associates

STOP PRESS!

Where are they now?

Former HBS student Maddy Squire, is now a First Artist at Scottish Ballet.

Sayaka Nagahiro has been promoted to Principal Dancer at the Vanemuine Ballet company in Estonia.

Former HBS student  Rin Ishikawa performed the lead in Frederick Ashton’s ballet Rhapsody, at the Peacock Theatre in London in July 2022, as part of the English National Ballet School’s (ENBS) end of year graduation performances. Originally created for Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lesley Collier of the Royal Ballet in 1981, this beautiful piece uses the music of the same name, Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, by Rachmaninov.

Abbi Johnson has recently graduated from the Joffrey school of Ballet in New York City, NY and has gained a contract with the Ajkun Dance Company, also based in New York.

 

2021

It has been a tough 20 months for the Arts since the first lockdown of March 2020 and especially for dancing schools. Highgate Ballet School has continued to provide ballet and contemporary dance classes for our students throughout these very difficult times and we would like to thank our extended family of mums and dads for supporting us. Without your help we would not still be here today!

Thanks also to the indefatigable Ros who managed to sort out constantly changing invoices and attendance through some of the most trying of circumstances and who continues to handle the office management with unshakeable aplomb.

 

News 2020-21

Congratulations

Well done to all the dancers who passed their ballet exams with really good results in March of 2022 with all candidates gaining either Merit or Distinction!

Elsa Pountney  Cecchetti Scholars

OLDER NEWS 2020-21:

Lily Walker  senior dance company on CAT at The Place

Marlene Bucher  Cecchetti Junior Scholar

Tilda Marriage Massey  Central School of Ballet Associates

Zack Tidswell and Jessica Helfgott  Degree Course for Musical Theatre at London Studio Centre and Urdang respectively

Rosa Slater and Iris Dickinson dance places at Marylebone High School.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the students who passed their ballet exams which took place in March 2020 with a high number of Distinctions and Merits.

 

CHOREOGRAPHIC COLLECTIVE TROUPE PERFORM AT THE ISTD BURSARY AWARDS & ISTD RE-BRANDING EVENT

Following their success at the South Bank U-Dance Festival in July 2019, our Senior Contemporary Dance Troupe, the HBS Choreographic Collective were invited to headline the ISTD Annual Bursary awards at The Place Theatre in London on Sunday 16th February and represented both Cecchetti ballet and contemporary faculties at the ISTD re-branding event at the Barbican Centre on Tuesday 18th February. Congratulations to Maddy Woolf and the dancers for reworking the showstopping piece, ‘Landmark’ that showcased the multifaceted talents of our dancers!

CONGRATULATIONS!

To Bella and Tilda London Children’s Ballet 2020 production of Anne of Green Gables!

To Amyas  Cecchetti Associates new Young Associates Class, beginning January 2020.

 

MABEL RYAN 2019

We would like to congratulate all of our pupils who took part in the Mabel Ryan Awards on 16th and 17th November at the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells. The weekend was filled with beautiful performances from all our pupils and we are very proud of each and every one who took part. I am delighted to report that in the Lower Juniors Bella won the Cecchetti Associates prize, the ‘Joy of Dance’ Award and in the Juniors and Middles section, Sara and Ellie were commended.

CECCHETTI CHILDRENS AWARDS 2019

Bella Lundgaard who won the Performance Award in the Cecchetti Children’s Awards Lower Junior Section Competition.

HBS CHOREOGRAPHIC COLLECTIVE!

U-Dance Festival at the South Bank, London SE1, July 20th and 21st 2019

Well done to the dancers in HBS’s elite contemporary troupe, the Choreographic Collective, who auditioned successfully in the spring to take part in the U-Dance Festival at the South Bank Centre on 20th and 21st July 2019. The weekend was filled with dance workshops and performances involving selected dance troupes from across the UK. The highlight for us in the audience was to see them perform on Saturday night at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The Choreographic Collective danced again their dramatic and highly charged piece ‘Landmark’ which was co-created by the dancers and their teacher Miss Maddy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An6fQ1N_q_U

 

2019

Midsummer Abstractions Summer Showcase, Sunday 30th June 2019

Congratulations to all the amazing dancers and wonderful new choreography! Our annual End of Year Ballet and Contemporary performance Showcase took place on Sunday June 30th 2019 at Channing School’s beautiful new theatre, the Arundel Centre, in Highgate village.

52 HBS dancers ages 8-17  performed onstage including our senior level dancers, contemporary classes and our 4 performance groups: The HBS Youth Dance Company, now in its 11th year, the Advanced Contemporary Choreographic Collective group, and our two ballet performing groups: junior Tutus and Tiaras and senior Level PointeWorks.

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Tilda Marriage Massey  National Youth Ballet . Tilda performed recently also in London Children’s Ballet production of ‘Ballet Shoes’ in July 2019 in the lead part of Petrova.

External Performance and Associate Programmes 2019-20

Marlene Bucher: Cecchetti Scholars Class 1

Tilda Marriage Massey, Skye Kemsley: Central School of Ballet Associates

Bella Lundgaard, Elsa Pountney, Francesca Walker and Rebecca Marinelli, Cecchetti Associates

Tara Chu, Emma Scott and Edie Marriage Massey: CAT at The Place

Zack Tidswell: London Studio Centre’s Saturday Associate Programme

Cecchetti Annual Choreographic Competition 10th March 2019 at Cecil Sharp House, NW1

This popular annual event showcases young choreographers ages 7 to 18 years old who present their own work to a audience and a panel of judges. This year we are delighted that Ella Kearney won the Susan Handy trophy overall for musicality, Lydia Antoniou and Georgina Bradley won the duet prize for both choreography and musicality in the senior section and Tilda Marriage Massey was awarded runner up for musicality in the  solo middles section.

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2018

London Children’s Ballet  production of ‘The Canterville Ghost’ April 2018

Congratulations to HBS dancers Sophie Farkas, Skye Kemsley and Zack Tidswell who performed in this lavish production  at the Peacock Theatre, London on April 18th-21st 2018. Zack was the fantastic lead ghost in a part he was born to dance! Well done!

Cecchetti Annual Classical Ballet Competition: Mabel Ryan Awards 2018

Well done to the 16 dancers who took part in this annual competition held in London at the London Westminster College Theatre and Sadlers Wells in November.  Congratulations to Rosa Slater who was selected for a commendation in the Cecchetti Children’s Awards, to Skye Kemsley who was Runner Up for Musicality in the Mabel Ryan Junior Awards and to Varya Kisselev who was commended in the Senior Mabel Ryan Awards!

Former HBS pupil Joe Tidswell,  Serbian National Ballet

 

External Performance and Associate Programmes 2018-19

London Children’s Ballet:  Tilda Marriage Massey and Sophie Farkas 

Joffrey Ballet School New York City USA: Abbi Johnson

Central School of Ballet: Sophie Farkas, Skye Kemsley and Tilda Marriage Massey

English National Ballet School’s Youth Dance Company: Zack Tidswell

London Studio Centre’s Saturday Associate Programme: Aoife Walter and Zack Tidswell

CAT at The Place: Tara Chu, Georgina Bradley and Edie Marriage Massey 

Cecchetti Associates: Rebecca Marinelli and Naias Morgan

London Junior Ballet Associates: Lila McNamara

Congratulations to our young Choreographers!

Georgina Bradley and her school group has been taking part in the Boroughs Competition of the Youth Games and having won the London event, they will be heading to Stoke on Trent for the Nationals representing London! Good luck to Georgina and her dancers!

Highgate Ballet School’s 4th annual Choreographic Showcase took place this term on Saturday 17th March 2018 in the chapel space at the URC. We watched 11 very competent and creative pieces being performed by students ages 9 and over adjudicated again this year by David Beer, Associate Director of Chantry Dance Company and HBS’s own Valerie Borg.

Showcase dancers Manasa Krishna, Olivia Rodgers and Ruby McNamara and Artemis and Naias Morgan performed their pieces at Jacksons Lane on 10th June.  Well done also to Bella Lundgaard, Rosa Slater, Ella Kearney, Imogen Titmas, Salome Bor-Gloaguen, Elsa Pountney, Francesca Walker, and Orla Feeley for their creative and beautifully presented choreographies!

Cecchetti choreographic Competition 11th March 2018

It was a clean sweep for our young choreographers in the 14-18 Years section at the Cecchetti Annual Choreographic Competition on 11th March 2018, held at the Cecil Sharp House, NW1. Congratulations to Olivia Rodgers and Ruby McNamara who won the overall prize for their duet, also to Artemis and Naias Morgan who were Runners up and to Georgina Bradley and Lydia Antoniou who were awarded Musicality in the same section. Also congratulations to Rosa Slater who was Commended for her solo in the under 10’s section

Congratulations!

To Tilda Marriage Massey who was selected by the Cecchetti Faculty to perform her 2016 Junior Mabel Ryan solo at the annual ISTD Bursary Awards which took place at the Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays on 21st January 2018 and Congratulations to Lara Cohen who is performing the part of Matilda in the National Tour in 2018.

 

2017

End of term performances  December 2017

Our annual Christmas performance after Carols in Pond Square  took place on Wednesday 13th December in the chapel space at the Highgate URC. Dancers from HBS and the Youth Dance Company directed by Maddy Woolf Wednesday performed divertissements from ‘The Nutcracker’ and other specially choreographed pieces!

Christmas Homeless Shelter. Here is a link to their project: http://c4wshomelessproject.org/. This year we helped raise £340.00!

On Saturday 16th December 26 young HBS dancers performed excerpts from ‘The Nutcracker’ and other short dances at the Highgate Nursing Home on Hornsey Lane.

On Sunday 17th December 6 HBS ‘Angels’ performed their dance from ‘The Nutcracker’ at the United Reformed Church Nativity Service to a packed congregation. This was a most enjoyable Christmas service with an apt interlude provided by our Highgate Ballet School dancers!

 

 Annual Cecchetti Children’s Awards and Mabel Ryan Competitions November 2017

Congratulations to all the dancers who took part in the Children’s Under 10’s and Mabel Ryan Awards on Sunday 5th November and the weekend of 18th and 19th November 2018. You all danced beautifully! Well done to Skye Kemsley who won the Lower Junior Award and and to Izzy McNamara for being Commended in the same category!

 

Successful Auditions 2017-18

Sasha Abrahams: Royal Ballet School’s Senior Associates 2017-2018

Tilda Marriage Massey, Sophie Farkas, Abbi Johnson: Central Associates 2017-2018. Tilda has also had her contract extended to perform in ‘Matilda’ in the West End until March 2018.

Abbi Johnson: Bolshoi Summer School NYC 2017,  National Youth Ballet 2017 and Central Pre-Seniors 2017-2018

Zack Tidswell: English National Ballet School’s Youth Company and Central School of Ballet Pre- Seniors,

Skye Kemsley; Scholarship to Cecchetti Associates 2017-2018  and London Children’s Ballet 2018

Aoife Walter, Naias Morgan, Rebecca Marinelli, Saskia Firouzbhaksh and Nova King: Cecchetti Associates

Olivia Rodgers, Ruby McNamara, Edie  Marriage Massey, Georgina Bradley: dancing on the CAT Programme at The Place,  2017-2018.

Congratulations to Skye Kemsley who  danced on tour with during the autumn term 2017.

Congratulations to Valentina Sanna  danced in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s  production of The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall in December 2017!

to Noga Inspector joining Bird College as a vocational student in September 2017. After more than 14 years dancing at HBS and two successful years with the National Youth Dance Company, we will miss you Noga, Good Luck!

Goodbye and Good Luck to Thea Stevens who is attending Oxford University from September 2017 after more than 14 years of dancing at HBS!

Well done to Abbi Johnson who auditioned successfully for the National Youth Ballet in summer 2017.

 

3rd Annual Choreographic Competition in the Chapel at the URC, 6pm Saturday 20th May 2017.

Now a popular and permanent fixture in the school calendar, selected winners go on to show their pieces at the Jacksons Lane theatre performance on 11th June.

Congratulations to all the HBS choreographers who took part in this most enjoyable evening of new solos and duets!

Susie Crow Guest Teacher at Highgate Ballet School, March 2017.

Susie has danced with Royal and Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballets becoming a soloist; now based in Oxford she choreographs for Ballet in Small Spaces (BiSS)

 

Cecchetti Choreographic Competition, 5th March 2017 at Cecil Sharp House, NW1

Lexi Johnson, Edie and Tilda Marriage Massey and Lily Walker: Jane Worsley Cup for best story in a choreography & Runners up, Middles section

Skye Kemsley: Merit, Junior Solo

Lydia Antoniou and Georgina Bradley: Musicality prize, Middles Duets

 

 2016

December 2016

Fantastic dancing from the Highgate Ballet School Youth Dance Company who performed Maddy Wynne-Jones’ ‘Nutcracker Ballet’ with her Tempered Body company at the Victoria & Albert Museum over the Christmas holidays!

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to all the dancers who took part in the performance after Carols in Pond Square on 14th December. It’s one of the highlights of the school calendar and what a lovely evening it was, filled with seasonal music, dancing, mince pies and mulled wine!

Among the varied pieces showing classical and contemporary choreography and excerpts from The Nutcracker, were three pieces created by Highgate Ballet School pupils. And an extra thank you to HBS comes from the Church volunteers who raised £420 for the Sunday night Homeless Shelter!

Congratulations to Skye Kemsley who has been accepted into the London Children’s Ballet Touring Company!

HBS dancers perform at the Highgate Nursing Home, December 17th 2016

At 2pm  20 dancers ages 8-17, performed in a seasonal selection of pieces at the Highgate Nursing Home on Hornsey Lane. Thank you to all the children who helped to make a misty winter’s afternoon very special for the residents at the home and the mums who helped out!

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 Mabel Ryan  Awards, 6th, 26th and 27th November 2016.

This year 20 Highgate Ballet School dancers ages 9-16 took part in the annual Cecchetti Classical Ballet Awards known as the ‘Mabel Ryans’. The Under 10’s competition took place at the Kingsway College Theatre King’s Cross, on Sunday 6th November and the Mabel Ryan Awards for all other age groups took place at the Lilian Theatre Sadlers Wells on 26th and 27th November.

Congratulations to Manasa Krishna who won the Children’s Award (Under 10’s) on Sunday 6th November, to Izzy McNamara who won the ‘Joy of Dance’Award and to Romilly Yule who was commended!

Congratulations to Skye Kemsley who came runner up in the Lower Junior Mabel Ryan Award. Also congratulations to Tilda Marriage Massey who won the Junior Mabel Ryan Award and Emma Scott who was runner up for the Junior ‘Joy of Dance’ Award.

Congratulations to Phoebe Armstrong who came runner up in the Middle Mabel Ryan Award and to Abbi Johnson and Nova Bangsbo who were Commended in the Middle Award.

 

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY HIGHGATE BALLET SCHOOL!

Three Anniversary Performances at the Ark Theatre, Borehamwood on 30th April and 1st May 2016 

‘Homage to Enrico Cecchetti’

We celebrated our 20th Birthday with a weekend of performances at the Ark Theatre, Borehamwood on Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May 2016. Nearly 200 students ages 6 and over from standard 1 up to Advanced 2, the Youth Dance Company and contemporary dancers took part. With Ray and Barbara Massey playing the parts of Maestro and Madame Cecchetti, the show opened with a film tribute to the Maestro created by former pupil now filmmaker, George Massey. After a demonstration of some of the Cecchetti classwork as it is done today, dancers performed excerpts from ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ and original choreographies inspired by the teachings, life and times of Cecchetti. Some of the special moments of the weekend now feature as photos on the home page. Look at our gallery for more photographs taken by Sam Pearce across the weekend!

Thank you so much to all the staff, accompanists and of course the amazing crew of backstage volunteers and technical assistants, also to Frankie Turner, stage manager, Joy Cox, theatre manager, Alexa Hart, backstage manager and James Ramsden, lighting director! Without the help of these fantastic  people the performances would not have been able to take place.

OMG in partnership with Jacksons Lane, HBS dancers performed at KEATS HOUSE, HAMPSTEAD ON SUNDAY 31st July 2016

Senior Staff Teacher Maddy Wynne-Jones organised a 3-Day workshop to help dancers Manasa Krishna, Millie Anstice, Sequoia Worghs, Imogen Titmas, Lottie Lunn and Emma Scott produce a piece inspired by the three lines of Keats’ poem ‘If I were a butterfly….’ which was performed at Keats House during a special outdoor family performance inspired by the poet and his writing. The performance took place on the lawn outside Keat’s house in Hampstead and included spoken word artists, including the young poet laureate of London, musicians and actors from local amateur theatre companies.

 

 STUDENT SUCCESS 2015-16

Congratulations to Joe Tidswell, former HBS student who has been at Central School of Ballet for two years and is now starting at Elmhurst Ballet School in September! Joe was one of only 6 boys to gain a place at this school, the official school of Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Congratulations to Phoebe Armstrong who has been dancing with English Youth Ballet and to Abbi Johnson, Lexi Johnson and Etta Stevens who have been touring with London Children’s Ballet this year.

Congratulations to all the students who created and performed choreographies for the second annual choreographic competition held at HBS at 7pm on Saturday 14th May 2016 With 17 pieces and a high standard of work overall that showed how much progress the choreographers have made since last year. We loved seeing the 6 winning pieces onstage again at Jacksons Lane on 5th June, what a fantastic show!

 

Congratulations to Abbi Johnson and Zack Tidswell who won the overall cup for the best choreography in the annual Cecchetti Choreographic competition held on Sunday 6th March 2016 at the Rambert school in Twickenham. They won also first prize for their section, duets age 14-18 and the Musicality prize. It’s a fantastic achievement and we enjoyed seeing their piece again at the school performance on Saturday 30th April.

 

Congratulations to Eliona Beck and Zack Tidswell who have completed and passed their Bronze Arts Award! The Arts Award is a way for young people to receive a national qualification through their chosen art form, and is managed by Trinity College London and Arts Council England. Eliona and Zack are the first students at HBS to complete the award, with the guidance of Arts Award qualified advisor Maddy Wynne-Jones. It was a lot of work, but they’ve done a superb job and we’re very proud of them! WELL DONE!

 

Congratulations to Julia Zlotnick who has gained a place at Northern Contemporary Dance School starting there in September 2016. Julia has been dancing at HBS since she was a toddler and has been attending contemporary dance classes on the CAT scheme at The Place along with studying for her A’levels. It’s a fantastic achievement, well done!

Well done to Amaani Ahmed who has been dancing at Highgate Ballet School since she was very little and has accepted into Cambridge university for September 2016

Congratulations to all the students who took part in this year’s Mabel Ryan competition held at the Lilian Bayliss Theatre, Sadlers Wells in London on 21st and 22nd November 2015. This is the most important annual Awards weekend organised by the Cecchetti Group and this year nearly 250 students from across the country took part, from grade 3 to Vocational Levels.

HBS regularly supports this event and 22 students from ages 10-17 took part. Tilda Marriage- Massey won the Lower Junior Award ages 10 and under 13 (for children who have not attained higher than grade 3). Eliona Beck was Commended in the Junior Award (Under 13 with a minimum grade 4 or higher), Etta Stevens was Commended in the Middle Award (Under 15 with a minimum grade 5 or higher), Aoife Walter was runner up in the Middles Joy of Dance Award and Abbi Johnson was runner up in the Middle Award. Sasha Abrahams was Runner up in the Senior Mabel Ryan Award (ages 15-17 with minumum grade 6).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manasa Krishna, Marlene Bucher, Skye Kemsley and Tallulah England took part in the Cecchetti Children’s Awards which took place at the theatre of Kingsway College, King’s Cross WC1 on Sunday 8th November 2015. Skye won first place and Marlene was awarded the ‘Joy of Dance’ Award

Eliona Beck has been accepted into the London Children’s Ballet for their upcoming production of ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy’. Lexi Johnson, Abbi Johnson and Etta Stevens have been accepted into the Touring Company of London Children’s Ballet for their 2016 season

Noga Inspector is dancing with the National Youth Dance Theatre and on The Place’s CAT scheme

Sasha Abrahams is dancing with the English National Ballet School Youth Dance Company and is a senior Associate at the Royal Ballet School.

Yasmin Barry-Djemal is a Senior Associate and Tilda Marriage-Massey is a Junior Associate at the Royal Ballet School

Aoife Walter and Etta Stevens are Cecchetti Scholars in Class 2 and Eliona Beck is a Cecchetti Scholar in Class 1

Maddie Holgate, Abbi Johnson, Phoebe Armstrong, Skye Kemsley and Delphine Angeli are Cecchetti Associates

Abbi Johnson and Zack Tidswell are Central school of Ballet Associates

Julia Zlotnick, Noga Inspector, Olivia Rodgers, Ruby McNamara and Zack Tidswell are dancing at The Place/Laban on their CAT schemes.

 

Former Pupils from September 2015: Emilia Miller is dancing at Northern Ballet School. and Rin Ishikawa is in year 8 at the Royal Ballet School, White Lodge. Long time HBS pupil Natasha McCabe is studying French and Italian at Oxford University.

Sayaka Nagahiro who attended HBS for several years before going on to train full time at the Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst and English National Ballet School, has gained her first dancing contract with the ballet company of Vanemuine in Estonia to start in August 2016! Well done Sayaka and good luck in your new job!

Eve Wilson, who attended HBS for many years before joining Elmhurst in Year 8, has successfully auditioned for Tring Park School to start there in September 2016.

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

Highgate Ballet School’s first ever Choreographic Competition took place during watch week 2015 with 30 dancers creating their own pieces and taking part  in 16 choreographies. The winners were chosen by the staff to dance at the end of season performance of the Youth Dance Company at Jacksons Lane on Sunday 28th June 2015. In the under 11’s, the solo winner was Amena Ireland and Manasa Krishna won the musicality prize.  Mili Finkletaub-Ageh and Rosa Clare won the duet/group section. In the over 11’s, Julia Zlotnick won for her solo with runner up Olivia Rodgers. Zack Tidswell and Abbi Johnson won the over 11’s duet/group prize and Edie and Tilda Marriage Massey, Eve Alexander and Lily Walker won the group musicality prize.

 

 

 2015

Cecchetti Choreographic Competition Success!

On Sunday 8th March 2015 at Cecil Sharp House in NW1 more than 200 children ages 7-18 took part in the annual Cecchetti Choreographic competition. Categories were for choreographic pieces in any dance genre (except tap) for solo, duet, trio or groups. Congratulations to the choreographers from Highgate Ballet School who took part creating their own works with costuming to be performed in front of a large and very enthusiastic audience:

Georgina Bradley, Tilly Green, Lydia Anoniou, Elsa Pountney, Freya Wilson, Abbi Johnson and Zack Tidswell.

Elsa and Freya’s piece ‘Finding our Smile’ was runner up in the under 11 duet section and Abbi and Zack’s duet ‘Spring’ was runner up for Musicality in the under 14’s duet section

 

 

 

 Launched: A NEW CECCHETTI WEBSITE AND TEACHING FILM ON ITS WAY FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT EVERYTHING CECCHETTI!

online now! www.TheCecchettiConnection.com. All about Cecchetti, his life and famous Method of teaching. With tips on technique and how to do those infamous combinations plus essays on aspects on teaching and principles of classical ballet

Coming very soon… the new classical ballet revolution documentary ‘How to Dance Classical Ballet the Cecchetti Way:

The 6 Physical Principles behind the Days of the Week, is a revolution in ballet training! When understood and applied to classical ballet technique, these principles easily become realised as fundamental elements in how dancers think and train. It’s a blueprint for the future of classical ballet A trailer introducing the film can be viewed on www.TheCecchettiConnection.com 

Please contribute to this project!

http://www.helloasso.com/utilisateurs/augustevestris-597295/collectes/make-the-work-work-the-physical-principles-behind-enrico-cecchetti-s-six-days-of-the-week

 

 

2014

MABEL RYAN 2014 COMPETITION WINNERS!

On Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November 2014, 16 dancers from Highgate Ballet School took part in the annual Cecchetti Children’s Classical Ballet Awards held at the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells Theatre, London EC1.These prestigious Awards are open to children who have gained high Merits or Distinctions in their recent Cecchetti ballet exams. This year over 200 children took part in 5 age groups.

Delphine Angeli Winner, Children’s Award B

Eve Alexander Runner Up, Performance Award, Children’s Award B

Isabella Slater and Artemis Morgan Commended, Children’s Award B

Eliona Shosholli Runner Up, Vacani Performance, Junior Mabel Ryan Award

Abbi Johnson Commended, Junior Mabel Ryan Award

Yasmin Barry-Djemal Runner Up, Middle Mabel Ryan Award

Aoife Walter, Commended, Middle Mabel Ryan Award

Noga Inspector, Winner, Senior Mabel Ryan Award

And congratulations to Myla Taylor – Platt, Isadora France, Louisa Waine, Maddie Holgate, Rosie Inwald, Etta Stevens and Thea Stevens who also took part in the competition. This year the standards were higher than ever and we are all so proud of you for representing the school with poise and professionalism.

To Aoife Walter and Yasmin Barry-Djemal who have gained parts in the London Children’s Ballet production of ‘Snow White’ which will take place at the Peacock Theatre WC2 in April 2015 and to Eliona Shosholli and Phoebe Armstrong who gained parts in the LCB Touring Company.

To Ruby McNamara who has gained a dance place for entry to Marylebone High School for entry in September 2015. Ruby is a Cecchetti Associate and also dances in the West End Musical ‘Matilda’.

 

Congratulations

Noga Inspector and Thea Stevens  who have successfully gained places by audition for the Cecchetti Scholars Saturday programme.

Noga and Thea also did well at  Cecchetti summer school by winning the choreographic competition.

The Cecchetti scholars programme offers talented students a full scholarship to attend classes on Saturdays organised by the Cecchetti Faculty in ballet, pointe, body conditioning and repertoire  over the course of the school year.

To Julia Zlotnick and Ella Vanson who auditioned successfully for The Place CAT (Centre for advanced dancers) scheme and their Youth Performing Company.

To Emilia Miller who has successfully gained a place on London Studio Centre’s Associates Programme and also with the London Senior Ballet Sunday classes programme.

To Isabella Slater who started at Italia Conti stage school in September 2014. Isabella has also gained a place on the Cecchetti Associates Programme

To students Tilda Marriage-Massey, Ruby Macnamara, Eliona Shosholli, Aoife Walter, Maddie Holgate, Abbi Johnson, Etta Stevens and Leyla Zebda who have all gained places on the Cecchetti Associates Programme

To Joe Tidswell, 16, who has gained a place at Central School of Ballet and started there in September 2014 on the full time vocational programme.

Joe has been dancing at HBS for the past 10 years, is a founder member of the school’s dance company and has danced at the Place and at Central on their Associates programme. We are all delighted that he can now pursue his love of dancing full time. Good luck Joe and we will miss you!

TO Abbi Johnson, 12, and Zack Tidswell, 11 who have gained  places on Central School of Ballet’s Saturday Associates Programme.

Well done!

 

Cover girl Maddy Squire and former HBS student who gained her first full time employment contract with The Scottish Ballet Company in Glasgow aged just 18 and started with them in August 2014!

Maddy trained at HBS from the age of 6 and was a founder member of the HBS youth Dance Company, a Cecchetti Associate and she joined English National Ballet School at 16 having gained her Cecchetti Advanced 1 with Distinction. Maddy was the only British born and trained female finalist in the Cecchetti International Ballet Competition held at Salford Quays Manchester in August 2011.

Rin Ishikawa who has been accepted to the Royal Ballet School, White Lodge and started there in September 2014.

Sasha Abrahams who has been accepted as a Senior Associate at the Royal Ballet School from September 2014.

Yasmin Barry-Djemal who has been accepted for another year as a Mid -Associate at the Royal Ballet School from September 2014.

Mia Jones has started at the Young Dancers Academy, a full time vocational dancing school in west London.

Eliona Beck Shosholli has gained a dance place at Marylebone High School from September 2014

CONGRATULATIONS: Joe Tidswell, Noga Inspector, Rin Ishikawa, Sasha Abrahams and Yasmin Barry-Djemal danced in the London Children’s Ballet new production of  ‘Nanny McPhee’  24th – 27th April at the Peacock Theatre in London, WC2.

WELL DONE TO 20 young dancers from HBS who took part in the nationwide Cecchetti ballet competition, nicknamed ‘Mabel Ryan’, on   23^rd and 24^th November 2013 at the Lilian Bayliss Theatre, Sadlers Wells, London, EC1. Sasha Abrahams and Noga Inspector scooped up the two top prizes for technique and Joy of Dance in the Middle Award and Isadora France won Joy of Dance in the Lower Junior B section. Minnie Stucke was runner up for Joy of Dance in the Lower Junior A section and Ingrid Biggs, Lydia Antoniou and Naias Morgan were commended in their sections. Photo below shows Noga (kneeling) and Sasha (in red, behind) at the end of the competition with other prize winners in their section.

Congratulations also go to Natasha McCabe who participated in the pre-professional section of the competition along with 44 dancers all from vocational schools in the UK and abroad. She danced in a ballet class taught by David Yow of the Royal Ballet School followed by performing a classical variation alone onstage and was adjudicated by Dame Monica Mason and David Bintley of the Royal Ballet.

Ruby MacNamara is dancing in Matilda in the West End from September 2013.

Natasha McCabe, Sasha Abrahams, Joe Tidswell, Zack Tidswell and Noga Inspector are Central Associates for 2013-2014.

Abbi Johnson, Aoife Walter, Azusa Nagahiro, Mia Jones and Thea Stevens are Cecchetti Associates in 2013-2014.

 

 

 

 

2013

Director of the Royal Danish Ballet School, THOMAS LUND visits Highgate Ballet School on 8th November 2013

Thomas Lund, former principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet, took over directorship of the Royal Danish Ballet School in August 2012 and since then he has been on a mission to promote the Danish ‘Bournonville’ ballet style, explore the history and development of this celebrated style for which the Danish dancers are world renowned and to see how ballet training is conducted in world famous ballet institutions. Part of this project includes regular trips to the Paris Opera Ballet School and the Royal Ballet School. He is interested also in the similarities and differences that the Cecchetti Method training have with the Bournonville style.

So, on Friday 8th November 2013 Mr. Lund came to watch a Cecchetti masterclass at Highgate Ballet School taught by Julie Cronshaw with the advanced and Friday night pre-vocational students. By invitation, two former students of HBS,  Maddy Squire and Sayaka Nagahiro, now at English National Ballet School, also danced in the class. At the piano Justin Stevens accompanied with his usual flair and sensitivity.

Mr. Lund, whose original background in early dance training included ballroom and recreational ballet in his native Denmark before joining the prestigious Royal Danish Ballet School and later becoming one of the greatest Bournonville dancers of all time, was gracious and kind to all the students and showed great interest in the Cecchetti Method with its rigorous technique, effortless grace and brilliant virtuosity.

Look at the Gallery for more photos of the dancers in action.

 

 CECCHETTI GOES TO POLAND!

INTERNATIONAL BALLET SUMMER SCHOOL, GDYNIA, JULY 14TH- AUGUST 10TH 2013

Maestro Cecchetti worked in Warsaw from 1902-1905 and had several famous Polish pupils including Marie Rambert, founder of the Rambert Dance Company. Since then the Method has not been taught in Poland….. until the summer of 2013!

Julie Cronshaw taught Cecchetti Method Ballet at the first International Ballet Summer School organised by Artur and Maria Adamska, former professional dancers and by Izabella Sokolowska, International Polish-born ballerina. Over 65 students from Poland, the USA, France, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia and from across Europe took classes in Vaganova, Cecchetti, Bournonville and Forsythe ballet styles, Pas de deux, variations, contemporary, jazz and Gyrokinesis. Working 6 days a week from 9am to 5pm each fortnight culminated in a performance at the theatre where the summer school was held. Photos below show Julie with staff (1) and with students (2)

 

 

RICHARD GLASSTONE MASTER CLASS at HBS

June 2nd 2013

Richard Glasstone taught a Cecchetti Masterclass and gave a lecture with film showing at the school on Sunday 2nd June 2013. Attended by over 35 dancers and observers Mr. Glasstone’s unique insights into the Maestro’s work and the development of the ‘Days of the Week’ were greatly enjoyed by a most enthusiastic audience.

 

 

2012

‘Glimpses into the Spanish World’ Weekend Event of Masterclasses and Presentations with International Guest Teachers

APRIL 2012, FIRST EUROPEAN ENCOUNTER
BETWEEN AUGUST BOURNONVILLE, ENRICO CECCHETTI AND THE ESCUELA BOLERA at Highgate Ballet School

Highgate Ballet School in London played host to  The Bournonville-Cecchetti-Escuela Bolera Course and Seminar during the weekend of 13-15th April 2012. The first encounter of its kind in Europe welcomed 28 students and 15 observers to classes talks and film presentations given three specially invited Professors: Flemming Ryberg, former Principal of the Royal Danish Ballet and now a highly regarded international teacher of the Bournonville School and Mime, Richard Glasstone, former Senior Teacher of Boys at The Royal Ballet School, Senior Examiner and Fellow of the Cecchetti Society and Dame Marina Grut Co-founder and President of the International Spanish Dance Society. The weekend was held in association with the Société Auguste Vestris, a non-profit society in Paris which promotes classical dance through teaching events. Review by allan Mortensen cna be found on TheCecchettiConnection.com.