English National Ballet School | |
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Address | |
Carlyle Building Hortensia Road , SW10 0QS | |
Coordinates | 51°28′55″N 0°11′09″W / 51.48190°N 0.18570°W |
Information | |
Type | Independent Further Education |
Established | 1988 |
Founder | Peter Schaufuss |
Specialist | Classical Ballet |
Ofsted | Reports |
Chairman of Governors | James Mee |
Artistic Director | Viviana Durante |
Executive Director | Jon Singleton |
Gender | Coeducational |
Age | 16 to 19 |
NQF Qualification | National Diploma in Professional Dance |
Accreditations | Trinity College, London Council for Dance Education & Training |
English National Ballet School is a specialist classical ballet school based in London in the United Kingdom. The School was founded in 1988 by Peter Schaufuss as the official school of English National Ballet.[1] The School's current artistic director is Viviana Durante.
English National Ballet School is a specialist training centre for young ballet dancers aged 16 to 19. Many graduates become dancers with English National Ballet as well as with other international ballet companies.[2]
The School was founded in 1988 by then director Peter Schaufuss of English National Ballet as a feeder school for the company. It began with just 12 students, sharing premises with the company.[3] The School grew rapidly, and in 1995 Diana, Princess of Wales opened its new premises in Chelsea, enabling it to train many more dancers.[4]
Today the School exists as a separate entity but maintains strong links with its parent company, around a third of whose dancers are graduates of the School.[5] Students perform in ENB's touring productions of My First Ballet[6] as well as in the company's main stage productions and those of other leading UK companies.[7] The School's own performances are widely noted, with Dance Europe describing the Winter 2019 performance as 'a terrific show...both entertaining and thoughtful.'[8]
English National Ballet School has an associate programme, ENBS Juniors, for girls and boys aged 3 and up.[9] In 2020, the School initiated a Graduate Trainee Programme as a response to the global pandemic.