Elmhurst and BRB

Friday October 8^th 2021

Elmhurst’s close link with Birmingham Royal Ballet continues as we celebrate students leaving the school to join our associate company. Many other students from Lower and Upper Schools continue to grasp and enjoy incredible opportunities to work alongside the professional dancers, under the Directorship of Carlos Acosta CBE.

On completing her Elmhurst training earlier this year, Worcestershire-born Amelia Thompson joined her “dream company” BRB, as an Artist. Hannah Martin also graduated this summer and joined BRB with thanks to the one year Elmhurst Ballet School and Birmingham Royal Ballet Apprenticeship Programme.

Also enjoying the BRB, Birmingham Hippodrome and Theatre Royal Plymouth footlights, were the graduate students of the 2021-22 Elmhurst Ballet Company who danced in Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet at the start of the company’s autumn season.

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker is always a favourite with our students, especially those selected to perform in Sir Peter Wright’s celebrated take on the Christmas ballet classic. This year, Lower School Year 7 boys Ethan Soule and Kristian Shek were selected to play the role of Fritz in the production.

Congratulations to all of our Elmhurst dance and stage stars!

Continuing our series of Birmingham Royal Ballet enrichment activities, Year 13 was fortunate to have a workshop with BRB’s Principal dancer Tyrone Singleton and First Soloist Yaoqian Shang. The two star dancers taught the students an excerpt from the company’s new Radio and Juliet, choreographed by Edward Clug, and set to the music of Radiohead.

In September, Year 7 headed to Birmingham Hippodrome to watch a studio rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet featuring Principal dancers Momoko Hirata and Cesar Morales. All year groups will receive similar experiences over the course of the academic year.

Last month, Carmen Piqueras, Répétiteur at Birmingham Royal Ballet, held a mock audition for our graduate students. The panel consisted of Brandon Lawrence and Céline Gittens, both BRB Principal dancers. The invaluable experience gave students an insight into attending a professional audition ahead of securing employment next year.

Thank you to Birmingham Royal Ballet for their continued association, hospitality and support.