National Ballet School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Ballet School of Canada is located in Toronto, Ontario.
The National provides a full-time program which combines classical ballet training with academic education from Grades 6 through 12 at its boarding school. The school also offers intensive specialized dance training after Grade 12, an apprenticeship program with its parent company, The National Ballet of Canada, and a full-time teacher-training program.
The School was founded in 1959 by Celia Franca and was directed for many years by co-founder Betty Oliphant to train dancers primarily for the National Ballet of Canada, but also for companies across Canada and around the world. Graduates of the school include Frank Augustyn, Neve Campbell, Rex Harrington, Karen Kain (current Artistic Director of the Company), James Kudelka (former Artistic Director of the Company), Veronica Tennant, Martine Lamy, John Alleyne, and Mavis Staines. Miss Staines is the current Artistic Director of The National Ballet School of Canada.
Since 1959, the School has also trained hundreds of professional dance teachers – teachers who in turn have inspired and guided tens of thousands of young dancers in every part of Canada and on all five continents.
Each year, the School conducts outreach tours in 20 or more cities across Canada. Students have come to NBS from every province in Canada – and from many other countries including the United States, Japan, Korea and Sweden.
Admission to The National Ballet School of Canada is highly competitive. Students are accepted on the basis of merit alone, with financial assistance available depending on family means. Over 50% of NBS families receive some sort of financial aid.
In addition to the core Professional Ballet/Academic Program, the School offers a post-secondary advanced dance training program, teacher training, a summer school, student and adult recreational classes throughout the year, and teachers’ seminars and teacher and pianist workshops as part of its annual national recruitment tour. Over 700 students and their families access the School’s programs each week with an additional 150 joining the student body for the annual summer school.
The National Ballet School of Canada also has a strong international reputation, and Mavis Staines, the School’s Artistic Director, serves as Artistic President of the Prix de Lausanne, the most prestigious international competition for emerging young dancers held yearly in Lausanne, Switzerland.
