We’re delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with bbodance that will see us further our reach and delivery of world-class ballet training.

This partnership will see a new series of Ballet Classes for semi-professional dancers launch on the 24 October and the return of our much-loved Juniors Programme for young children aged 5+, from the 7 November presented at bbodance’s studios at Battersea Reach, alongside our new Professional Trainee Programme.

All of this comes as we continue to welcome our staff and students back to face-to-face teaching in our newly refurbished Covid-secure building on Hortensia Road. Our return follows five months of remote working where we delivered classes in 22 countries, uploaded 764 videos to Vimeo and spent a staggering 748,941 minutes on Zoom!

Viviana Durante, Artistic Director of English National Ballet School said; “I am so thrilled to be working in partnership with bbodance to increase our reach and continue to inspire young emerging dancers from around the world. bbodance’s beautiful studios on the River Thames provide the perfect outlet for creativity. It has been wonderful to see recent graduates enter the next stage of their career on our new trainee programme and I look forward to welcoming participants to our new classes there this autumn.

Julie Bowers, Director of Artistic Development at bbodance said; “I am delighted, along with Viviana, to be part of this very exciting partnership between bbodance and ENBS. Together we will provide the highest calibre of facility, teachers and pianists to reach out, support and give opportunity to Vocational and Semi Professional dancers during these strange and unprecedented times."

The Professional Trainee Programme gives recent graduates from schools around the world the opportunity to experience the demands of a professional life in dance. This pilot programme will see world renowned artists Deirdre Chapman, Ibrahim Onal, Ivan Putrov, Angela Towler and Didy Veldman lead the students alongside Artistic Director Viviana Durante. Through a partnership with Dancers’ Career Development a series of career development workshops and 1:1 personal and career coaching sessions will be delivered to participants.

Offering semi-professional dancers the chance to develop their skills and interest in ballet, a new series of Ballet Classes, presented in partnership by English National Ballet School and bbodance, launch on Saturday 24 October. Held on Saturday’s for an initial eight-week term, classes will be taught by the School’s top-class teaching faculty and accompanied by live piano.

Returning this autumn, the School’s ever popular Juniors Programme launches on Saturday 7 November. Open to all without audition these weekly classes aim to introduce children to the artform providing training in ballet technique, creative exercise, choreography and performance skills within a fun and imaginative atmosphere.

English National Ballet School’s return to face to face training has also seen it develop a new relationship with Chelsea Theatre. This new relationship has allowed the School to increase its space to allow students to attend socially distanced ballet and contemporary dance classes, academic lessons and lectures and healthcare activities across both sites.

Viviana Durante added; “I am so pleased to begin a new relationship with our neighbours at Chelsea Theatre. Having the additional space to allow for social distancing has been vital in our successful and safe return, after working remotely and I couldn’t be happier to see staff and students back in the studios, doing what they do best.”