Spring Ballet Intensive Course

Students, join us for an incredible opportunity this Spring to develop your technique, explore artistry and make new friends.

Open to all students aged between 12 and 16, studying at least Grade 5 (or equivalent). You don't need to be a bbodance member to sign up - it's open to all aspiring young dancers!

Full timetable is linked above!

Classes will run 10am - 4pm each day and across the week dancers can expect:

• Ballet technique

• Learning repertoire

• Contemporary (Friday only)

• Character Dance

• Pointe Work* (Tues - Thurs only)

*If already studying Pointe Work with their regular teacher

Classes will be between 1-2 hours in length and students will need to bring their own packed lunch. A full timetable will be published very soon!

Each Ballet class will also be accompanied by a live pianist and will take place in the Espinosa studio.

We have a fantastic selection of faculty on board with many years of experience teaching at top vocational schools.

Ballet tutors: Anita Young MBE (Artistic Director of bbodance)

Nandita Shankardass

  Sarah Kundi

Tania Fairbairn

Contemporary tutor: Jose Agudo

Anita Young MBE (teaching on Tuesday)

Anita trained at The Royal Ballet School and joined the Company in 1968. After an exciting performance career, she worked with prestigious vocational schools and colleges including: The Royal Ballet School, West Street School, London Studio Centre and Central School of Ballet. Anita progressed into a career in freelance teaching, coaching, choreography and dance education. In 2023 alone, Anita taught in 7 countries including New Zealand, South Korea and the US.

Tania Fairbairn (teaching on Wednesday)

Tania trained at Arts Educational School, Tring and The Royal Ballet's Teacher Training course. Tania has danced with Alexander Roy's London Ballet Theatre, Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet before moving to London's West End musicals where she performed in the stage productions of 'The Phantom of the Opera', '42nd St' and 'On Your Toes'. She is currently working as a freelance Classical Ballet Teacher, teaching countless schools and organisations including: Ballet Boost, Cecchetti Society, Delattre Dance Company and Royal Academy of Dance.

Nandita Shankardass (teaching on Thursday)

Nandita Shankardass is a performing artist, choreographer, interdisciplinary facilitator, educator and speaker. She is the founder of Welcome Movement®, created to generate wellbeing, stimulate creativity and empower freedom of expression through movement and dance. Nandita is a Clore emerging leader, an artist in residence at Rambert Dance, educational workshop facilitator with Ballet Black, Ballet Futures facilitator with English National Ballet and a delivering workshop artist with Akademi.

Nandita joined the Royal Ballet School Junior Associate programme before joining The Royal Ballet School at the age of 11 where she trained until she was 19 years old. Whilst a student, she was awarded The Dame Ninette De Valois Award and The James Monahan Award for her choreographic work. To date Nandita is one of two females of Indian heritage to have been accepted into The Royal Ballet School, becoming one of the few female professional ballet dancers of Indian heritage in the world. Her career has taken her to perform with Zürcher Ballet, Victor Ullate Ballet, Ballet Black, Scottish Ballet and Compañia Nacional de Danza, performing internationally in a diverse range of classical, neo-classical and contemporary repertoire. She has delivered and facilitated dance activity across education, community and professional settings for over 12 years across U.K.

Jose Agudo (teaching on Friday)

Jose started his career in Andalusia where he began performing as a Flamenco dancer. Slowly the world of contemporary dance became more visible as he worked throughout Europe. As a rehearsal director and assistant choreographer, Jose has worked on several creations for Akram Khan Company from 2010 to 2017. Jose’s independent choreographic commissions include Phoenix Dance Theatre, ACE Dance and Music, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, English National Ballet School, BODHI Project SEAD, The Place, London Studio Centre, Area Jeune Ballet, Festival International de Musica y Danza de Granada, Northern School of Contemporary Dance.Since 2019 Jose has embarked in a new adventure diving into the world of the musical theatre, publicity and commercial. First as an Associate Choreographer for Cabaret at the Kit Kat club. He is listed in the new edition of 50 Contemporary Choreographers, an international publication by Routledge.

Sarah Kundi (teaching on Friday)

Sarah was born in London into Indian heritage, where she undertook her professional training at Central School of Ballet. Upon graduation Sarah pursued her first job at Northern Ballet, then went on to dance with Ballet Black, where she was nominated for a Critic's Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Female Performance in the Classical sector in 2010, for Will Tuckett's 'Depouillement'. Sarah finished her performing career as a First Artist with English National Ballet Summer 2023, where she was awarded the 'Corps de Ballet Award' on behalf of English National Ballet in 2017.

Whilst with ENB, Sarah was an Advisor and Facilitator of English National Ballets Pipeline Project, 'Ballet Futures', an artistic training programme for children from underrepresented backgrounds. Sarah also coached young upcoming dancers in the company for the annual 'Emerging Dancer Competition' over her last three years with the company.

She has been invited to teach at various summer schools including the Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School, Central School of Ballet and Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. In 2022, Sarah completed her Teachers Training Diploma with the Royal Ballet School, and joined the Royal Ballet School in September 2023 as a ballet teacher.

Places are limited - book now to avoid disappointment!