Cennarium Backstage - Brasil Autumn 2016 | Page 20
The Top 12 Ballet School In The World By Camille Severino
3. Royal Ballet School London, England
Dame Ninette de Valois founded this ballet-training program in 1926 as the Academy of Choreographic Art. Like the others before, she was inspired to start a ballet company and school to feed it with excellent ballet dancers. She partnered up with Lilian Baylis who obtained the Sadler’s Wells Theatre and the school took up residence in the theater in 1931 where it was dubbed The Vic-Wells Ballet School that would feed dancers into the Vic-Wells Ballet Company. In 1939 both were renamed Sadler’s Wells Ballet School and Company respectively. Finally, in 1946 the ballet moved to the Royal Opera House. Since its inception Royal Ballet School in London is considered one of the top three schools to obtain the most excellent training in the art of ballet.
2. The Vaganova School St. Petersburg, Russia
This Russian school dates back to 1738 when established as the Imperial Theatrical School. Jean-Baptiste, a French master of ballet was the first director. Their first year of enrollment consisted of twelve boys and twelve girls. Again, this school was started, like the others, to create a professional dance company in Russia. Famous dancers from the 19th century that either trained there or became teachers include Mikhail Fokine, Jules Perrot, and Charles, Didleot. Once Lenin died in 1924, St. Petersburg became Leningrad and the Imperial Ballet School was no longer in existence by order of the new government. They also disbanded the Imperial Russian Ballet. A new company was born under the name of Soviet Ballet. In 1957 the Leningrad State Choreographic School, which was established in 1920, was renamed Vaganova School for Agrippina Vaganova who was influential in the expansion of contemporary Russian Ballet. This school has a long history of producing top-notch ballet dancers. name of Soviet Ballet. In 1957 the Leningrad State Choreographic School, which was established in 1920, was renamed Vaganova School for Agrippina Vaganova who was influential in the expansion of contemporary Russian Ballet. This school has a long history of producing top-notch ballet dancers.