Two evenings where ballet and art intertwined took place on 11 and 12 May, when students of English National Ballet School performed throughout the great galleries, state rooms and corridors of The Wallace Collection.
One of London’s most historic museums, The Wallace Collection first opened its doors in 1900 and houses an extraordinary collection of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, arms and armour amassed by the Hertford family before being bequeathed to the nation in 1897.
For over 120 years, visitors have mostly experienced the museum through stillness and silence. While other live performances do take place at The Wallace Collection, for these two special evenings, the galleries were transformed by ENBS dancers, live performance, music and original choreographic works.
Now in its seventh year, this unique collaboration between still and moving art continues to offer an inspiring and memorable experience for both students and audiences alike.
Over recent months, Second Year students have developed original choreographic works, both solo and group pieces, inspired by artworks encountered during an earlier visit to the museum.
ENBS student Ella Tan had been looking forward to the experience since joining the School in 2024.
“Performing in such an intimate setting felt incredibly special because there was a much stronger sense of connection with the audience. It was also such a unique experience dancing to audiences from multiple angles, rather than being used to performing with only one front. As a choreographer for this project, it was an exciting challenge to create movement that looked effective and engaging from all sides.”
Ella also reflected on the influence of the artwork itself:
“What I found most inspiring about the artwork was the way the depiction of the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea generated so many ideas for movement and choreography. It encouraged me to think creatively and explore different ways of translating the story and emotion into dance.”
Daria Maria Ene, who choreographed and performed her own original piece, described the experience of transforming still art into movement:
“This project taught me that a painting does not end at its frame, it continues through the body, through breath, through shared imagination and through us. It felt like we made the painting come alive through choreography. It showed me that art can speak many languages at the same time.”
“Working on choreography inspired by Perseus and Andromeda felt like stepping into a space where time became fluid. The artwork was not just an image to me, but a living atmosphere. Transforming stillness into movement felt like giving breath to silence.”
Third Year Men’s Tutor Juan Eymar, who guided the students through choreography, staging and musical direction, believes the project offers an invaluable creative opportunity for young dancers.
“Trusting their own ideas and presenting them to an audience in such a creative and inspirational environment is an experience they will carry with them throughout their careers.”
For Second Year student Vittoria Serofilli, performing at The Wallace Collection was both an honour and an important artistic challenge.
“It was a real privilege to perform at The Wallace Collection in a piece that I choreographed myself, especially in such an intimate setting surrounded by extraordinary artwork. Experiences like this are incredibly valuable for our ballet training because they challenge us not only technically, but artistically, encouraging us to communicate emotion and storytelling in a more personal way.”
Photography by Isabella Turolla
Would you like to experience the creativity, artistry and talent of the students of English National Ballet School? Explore our What’s On section to discover upcoming performances and events, or join one of our Giving Circles for exclusive opportunities to watch students take class and prepare for performances.
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