New Edinburgh Ballet School

Jan 6 2018 | By More

Schaufuss announces new ballet school

Peter Schaufuss has revealed that he will be opening the full-time Edinburgh Festival Ballet School, from September 2019, with an initial masterclass session in March this year.

The Danish ballet dancer, choreographer and director has invited applications from Scots aged 14 and over for a masterclass in Edinburgh during the weekend of March 17 – 18, 2018.

Saint Stephen’s, Stockbridge. Pic Thom Dibdin

Schaufuss will be using his two Edinburgh venues for the masterclass, the Rose Street Theatre which he purchased in 2016 and Saint Stephen’s Stockbridge, which he added in 2017.

Students will receive practical lessons and learn about dance history and styles at Saint Stephen’s followed by a gala performance at the Rose Street Theatre.

Schaufuss is the founder of The English National Ballet School and has performed and directed all over the world. He will deliver tuition alongside such internationally-renowned industry figures as Dinna Bjørn, Matz Skoog, Eric Viudes, and Jeffrey Taylor.

Schaufuss says: “The masterclasses are a weekend of classes taught by people who have been at the highest level of the dance profession. It’s an opportunity for students to be taught in a way that cannot be delivered elsewhere and to learn what it takes to be a professional dancer.”

Deadline

Students wishing to join the masterclass have until February 1 to apply to apply. Sixty students will be chosen from the applications.

St Stephens Ground Floor

Speaking of who the class would be suitable for, Schaufuss said: “Students may be on the way to making a career as a dancer or may not have danced before. This is their chance to test their own talent, to be taught at a high level, and receive lectures in ballet history and its different dance styles.”

The masterclasses will act as an introduction to what Schaufuss says will eventually be a permanent school.

He said: “We start out with a masterclass weekend, then a summer school, then monthly masterclasses, then a full-time school up and running from September 2019.

“If you are a talented boy or girl who wants to learn ballet, you can’t get a professional full-time dance education in Edinburgh. I felt there was something unfair about that.

Experience

“I started the English National Ballet School 29 years ago and a school in Denmark as well, so I have great experience in delivering education programmes.

“At the two venues here, we have capacity to do this and offer young people the opportunity I had as a young dancer. Through people I know in the industry, we have some very good tutors who can offer the best possible training to aspiring dancers in Scotland.”

Listings and links

Application for EFB Launch Weekend
January 2018
Applicants must be based in Scotland and 14 or over on Saturday March 17, 2018
Apply here: www.edinburghfestivalballet.com
Cost of the weekend is £ 75 (+ £3.50 booking fee).

EFB Launch Weekend Masterclasses
Saturday 17/Sunday 18 March 2018
Classes: Saint Stephen’s Stockbridge, 105 St Stephen Street, EH3 5AB
Saturday 17: 9am – 5pm; Sunday 18: 9am – 4pm.
Gala Performance: Rose Theatre, 204 Rose Street, EH2 4AZ
Sunday 18: 7 – 9pm.

Edinburgh Festival Ballet School website: www.edinburghfestivalballet.com
Twitter: @edfestballet.

ENDS

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  1. I think this will help to raise the profile of Ballet schools in Scotland. There will be then three major Ballet schools including Ballet West in Taynuilt https://www.balletwest.co.uk/, RCS in Glasgow https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ba-modern-ballet/ and this new one. In England there is room for many ballet schools giving choice to the students it doesn’t take from each one. In London alone there are several. There are amazing young dancers in Scotland and both Scottish Ballet Associates and Ballet West Edinburgh and Glasgow Associates are Brimming at the seams with so many children wanting to attend. I think it won’t take from what is already there but will hopefully enhance it. May be also go someway to change the Scottish governments stance on funding students that go to private colleges, of which most are Dance, music and drama schools. The scottish Awards Agency only gives £1206 grant towards fees for private colleges making it hard for those on low incomes to attend.