Annual Report 2008 - 2009 HRH the Prince of Wales, President the Royal Ballet School Annual Report 2008 - 2009
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Annual Report 2008 - 2009 HRH The Prince of Wales, President The Royal Ballet School Annual Report 2008 - 2009 ‘It is the policy of The Royal Ballet OUR MISSION AND PURPOSE OUR GOALS ARE TO: • Maintain a high employment rate of graduating School not only to produce dancers Our mission is to train and educate outstanding • Provide, in a caring environment, artistic and dancers, with many being recruited to The Royal of excellence but also dedicated, classical ballet dancers for The Royal Ballet, academic training of the highest possible calibre, Ballet or Birmingham Royal Ballet. Birmingham Royal Ballet and other top offering all students of the School a positive balanced, well-mannered, thinking • Expand the international exposure of the international dance companies, and in doing so learning experience which is constantly individuals who will be an asset to students of the School by participating in to set the standards in dance training, nationally monitored for potential improvement. any community and in any international competitions and festivals. and internationally. • Achieve recognised accreditation for the environment – not only a joy to • Provide state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities The School offers an eight-year carefully vocational curriculum. watch but a pleasure to know.’ which will enhance the teaching and learning structured dance course, aligned with an • Offer students as many performing opportunities opportunities for the students. Gailene Stock AM, Director extensive academic programme, giving students as possible. the best possible education to equip them for a • Conduct an extensive Audition and Outreach career in the world of dance. • Ensure that the students have close practical and programme. artistic access to The Royal Ballet companies. 1 Johan Persson Johan Chairman’s Report I was honoured to be invited to take We have also been profoundly blessed by the grateful to the Department for Children, Schools over as Chairman last September. The philanthropy, advice and support of Dame Vivien and Families for their contribution which enables last 10 years of the School's direction Duffield, Lord and Lady Sainsbury, Ricki Gail this. This year we will have worked with 2,380 Conway, the Weston family and the Mercers’ students around the country, 1,671 of those will in the hands of David Norman and Company amongst others. have been involved in projects that lasted 6 to 12 Gailene Stock have been a decade of weeks. It is difficult to overstate the importance In October 2009, Charles Parker retired from the extraordinary development. of taking classical dance into schools, raising Board of Governors. His contribution during nine awareness of potential, creating enthusiastic The building of the Upper School at Floral Street years was wide-reaching but of particular note was collaborations and helping The Royal Ballet School and its beautiful, practical and symbolic bridge to his skilful overseeing of the works programme at to reach out to talent all over the country. the Royal Opera House, the acquisition of three White Lodge and the new Upper School, both new halls of residence and the redevelopment of delivered on time and on budget. It is hard to find The School's worldwide reputation and its students White Lodge are considerable achievements. words to express our thanks for the time he gave and are a credit to the Staff. I have immensely enjoyed David's dedication to the School reaches back over the judgment he brought to this. He is much missed. my first six months. I am deeply impressed by the Hugo Burnand Hugo 30 years. I know that present and past students, In June we opened Parker House, a new house for the commitment of the Staff and the Governors and staff and governors wish to pay tribute to his Lower School students named in recognition of his wish to thank them for the opportunity to Chair energy, passion and generosity: a very hard act work as Chairman of the Building Committee. the Board. to follow. The School has continued to manage its finances Following the glamour of the Royal Gala at White carefully and prudently, with a small operating Lodge last spring to thank our munificent surplus of £33,000 being reported in the end-of-year supporters, attended by TRH The Prince of Wales accounts (see page 19 for more details). The Board of Governors, with the invaluable assistance of our and The Duchess of Cornwall, the School returned The Marchioness of Douro OBE experienced Finance Committee, will continue to with renewed energy to teaching, auditioning, Chairman monitor our overall budget performance closely. Opposite: TRH The Prince of Wales and performing and to the realities of this unpredictable April 2010 The Duchess of Cornwall – our honoured financial climate. On behalf of the Governors I would like to guests at White Lodge congratulate the Staff on another year of success. An impressive network of collaborators continue Above: HRH The Duchess of Cornwall For the third year running all of our Graduate with star Graduates, Lauren Cuthbertson to support us. Fundraising for bursaries and the students were recruited by major ballet companies. and Sergei Polunin never-ending quest to improve our facilities carries They have gone on to some 19 companies Top: The Marchioness of Douro OBE on apace. In February, Mrs Aud Jebsen opened the including The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal house she funded at White Lodge and the hall of Ballet, English National Ballet, the Royal Danish residence she refurbished near the Upper School in Ballet, The Australian Ballet and the National Ballet Covent Garden – both named in gratitude to Aud of Canada. and Kristian Gerhard Jebsen. Mrs Jebsen’s generosity and interest in our work is admired The Partnership and Access Programme reaches throughout the School. further and further afield. We are profoundly 2 Hugo Burnand Johan Persson Director’s Report In a world currently facing shrinking where they received overwhelming applause and the completion of the £22m White Lodge Persson Johan employment markets, it is a pleasure excellent reviews for their Le Corsaire pas de deux. redevelopment, this event was an opportunity to thank our generous donors who have helped to to report that our Graduates achieved Success was also achieved in international awards, make it all possible. It was a splendid evening and a remarkable 100% employment rate when 3rd Year students Elisa Badenes and Jonathan White Lodge looked very beautiful indeed. All of Hanks travelled to New York to compete in the for the third year running, being those who have contributed to this redevelopment Youth America Grand Prix Finals in April. Elisa was offered professional contracts with must be very proud of what has been achieved. presented with the Gold Medal in the Female companies around the globe. Division and Jonathan gained a very creditable Former and current professional dancers who had Four of our dancers were taken into The Royal sixth place in the Men’s Division. benefitted from training offered by The Royal Ballet Ballet, one into Birmingham Royal Ballet and three Closer to home, Laura Day and Matthew Astley School kindly donated their services for the into English National Ballet, including Vadim (both Year 11) tied for first prize in the Phyllis glittering Gala performance. Our sincere thanks go Muntagirov who was offered a First Artist contract Persson Johan Bedells Award, presented by the Royal Academy of to Sir Anthony Dowell, Dame Antoinette Sibley, and, within months of joining the Company, has Dance. Choreographically, the students also Darcey Bussell, Lauren Cuthbertson, Sergei Polunin, already danced Albrecht in Giselle at the London continue to excel with Katrina Lyndon (2nd Year) Liam Scarlett, Natasha Oughtred, Jamie Bond, Coliseum. A full list of our Graduate contracts can winning the Ursula Moreton Award at the Upper Marguerite Porter and Stephen Wicks for making be seen on page 25. We are equally proud of all of School, while at the Lower School, Andrew McNicol this such a memorable occasion. them and wish them well as they progress with (Year11) won the Kenneth MacMillan Award and their careers. The White Lodge redevelopment includes a Grace Paulley (Year 7) took first prize in the unique Ballet Museum and Resource Centre, the Throughout the year, students from both the Ninette de Valois Award. first of its kind in the UK, which records the Lower and Upper Schools regularly performed with The 10th anniversary of the Young British Dancer fascinating development of British dance alongside The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet and of the Year Award was a very special event, due the history of White Lodge and The Royal Ballet have benefitted greatly from this experience. entirely to the generosity of Ricki Gail Conway and School. Dedicated in memory of HRH The Princess Working alongside their role models is enormously her interest in promoting talented young dancers. Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and officially Opposite: A positive learning experience advantageous, particularly when the students have The Gala Final on 15 March 2009 included opened by our Vice President, The Lady Sarah – always a top priority for Director, seen some of these professional dancers recently performances from the nine previous winners, all Chatto, on 25 February 2009, the Museum has Gailene Stock progress through the School. of whom are now with either The Royal Ballet or already attracted hundreds of visitors – a trend we Top: Backstage congratulations at Young International performances in Alcobaça, Florence Birmingham Royal Ballet, with the exception of our expect to continue for many years to come. My British Dancer of the Year 2009 and a graduate tour to Salt Lake City were current 3rd Year student, William Bracewell, who sincere thanks to Jay Jolley and Anna Meadmore Above: Flying high – Vadim Muntagirov, particular highlights of the year.