Elmhurst School for Dance

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Elmhurst School for Dance is the oldest vocational dance school in the United Kingdom. It offers dance training and academic education to pupils of secondary school age. The school was originally located in Camberley, Surrey but after becoming an associate school of the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2002, it relocated to Edgbaston, Birmingham in 2004.

The new £14 million building houses seven dedicated dance studios and a dedicated theatre workspace, plus on-site accommodation for 121 resident students, all of which are looked after by house staff. The new site was built on a five acre green field site, adjacent to the Priory Hospital. It was designed by SMC Hickton Madeley Architects.

Elmhurst School for Dance also has a studio theatre with a seating capacity of 240 along with a full set of roof and boom lighting rigs, controlled by a Strand 520i. The studio and theatre space is climate controlled. As the school has students living on site, it is covered by external CCTV and also internal cameras. In addition to this, access to the building is controlled by a touch card system.

It has been announced that Desmond Kellywill take over as Artistic Director of Elmhurst from September 2008. School website announcement here

[edit] Senior management team

Principal - John J.McNamara - Retirement Announced
Artistic Director - Mary Goodhew Announcement
Academic Director - Maggie Evans - Leaves for Hammond School as New Head (Summer 08)
Director of Finance - Diana Wardle
Director of Pastoral Care - Julie McNamara - Retirement Announced