Tiny Dancer sculpture inspired by Elmhurst students

Monday April 23^rd 2018

The latest microscopic sculpture by the internationally renowned artist Dr Willard Wigan, MBE

Dr Willard Wigan, MBE is the ‘creator of the world’s smallest handmade sculptures in history’ (Guinness Book of Records). Wigan’s latest micro creation Tiny Dancer is inspired by our students here at Elmhurst Ballet School and is his first sculpture of a dancer. The ballerina stands ‘en pointe’ - on the tip of her toes - and wears a ruffled white tutu with real gold details, and her hair in a traditional ballet bun complete with a tiara made from particles of glitter.  

Wigan was inspired to sculpt the tiny ballerina after meeting some of our students (the associate school of Birmingham Royal Ballet) at the Midlands Luxury Show. Tiny Dancer strikes a ballet pose in the eye of a regular sewing needle - the most minuscule of display platforms now synonymous with Wigan’s work.

Tiny Dancer, painstakingly made from a microscopic piece of plastic, took Wigan six weeks, 18 hours a day to create. Using miniature handmade tools to carve the sculpture and his own eyelashes attached to an acupuncture needle for a paintbrush, Wigan applied the smallest of paint particles to finish the sculpture in the eye of a regular sewing needle- one of the minuscule display platforms now synonymous with Wigan's work.

With thanks to Wigan’s generosity, his love of ballet and a desire to support the Birmingham based school, Tiny Dancer is up for sale and fifty percent of the proceeds will help Elmhurst’s young ballet students, particularly those in need of financial assistance, to realise their dance dreams.

More information about how Tiny Dancer will be sold will be available soon at www.willardwiganmbe.co.uk and www.elmhurstdance.co.uk.  For expressions of interest please contact development@elmhurstdance.co.uk.

Photo credits: Top: Willard Wigan’s Tiny Dancer inspired by students of Elmhurst Ballet School – photo Paul Mathews; Second page: Willard Wigan with students of Elmhurst Ballet School as they marvel at Tiny Dancer with the help of a microscope – photo by Phil Hitchman