Press Release: Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham #YourPlaceForDance

[Jan McNulty]

 

 

 

THE PRESTIGIOUS ELMHURST BALLET SCHOOL FLIES THE FLAG FOR BIRMINGHAM

ELMHURST BALLET SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM #YourPlaceForDance

 

Elmhurst Ballet School, the vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, celebrates its home city of Birmingham in its latest drive to attract the very best local, national and international dance talent to the region.

 

Elmhurst Ballet School’s Your Place for Dance campaign positions the world class ballet school in the world class city - a unique and pioneering school in a city known for its diverse cultural offering, innovation and opportunities.  

 

Based in Edgbaston, one mile from Birmingham’s vibrant city centre, Elmhurst Ballet School is a world-renowned centre of excellence and nurtures individuality in talented students aged between 11 and 19 as they prepare to become the thinking dance professionals of the future.  Through an all-rounded approach to training, education and health and wellbeing, students become independent, collaborative and versatile artists, professional-ready to take their places on stages across the world. 

With many major dance and arts organisations located close to the school and as high profile sports and cultural events, international businesses and transport infrastructures turn to the region, Your Place for Dance highlights Elmhurst’s standing in the dance sector and also places the school in the city it calls ‘home’. 

For the campaign, the school worked with Louise Gale Design and Birmingham-based photographer Ian Winstanley and reached out to city organisations for their support. Mailbox Birmingham, Selfridges Birmingham at Bullring, The Big Peg in the Jewellery Quarter and Birmingham Botanical Gardens all jumped on board. 

Upper school students were photographed in the popular locations: Amelia Hancock graces the steps of Mailbox, Birmingham – a stylish shopping, lifestyle and restaurant destination; Harvey Evans leaps in front of Selfridges Birmingham, part of the city’s famous Bullring; Janice Felices lights up the city skyline from the roof of The Big Peg in the historic Jewellery Quarter; and James Lovell defies gravity in the 15-acre Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a neighbour of the school in the premium Calthorpe Estates.

Jessica Wheeler, Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School, said:  “Your Place for Dance is an important and timely campaign that shows some of our incredible students in city locations. In the UK, Elmhurst graduates work with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Ballet Black and Rambert and further afield with dance companies in the USA, Japan and across Europe. We hope the campaign shows potential students that the world really is their oyster if they come to Elmhurst Ballet School in the City of Birmingham.”

 

David Pardoe, Head of Marketing, Retail and Tenant Engagement at the Mailbox, added: “We had no hesitation in taking part in this photo shoot and were delighted when Elmhurst Ballet School approached us as one of Birmingham’s iconic locations for their campaign. The school is doing great things in this incredible city, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be part of such a special and expanding creative project.”

Notes: 

 

www.elmhurstdance.co.uk  

Twitter: @ElmhurstBallet Facebook: @ElmhurstBalletSchool Instagram: @elmhurstballetschool #YourPlaceForDance

Photograph credits L-R: 

Elmhurst Ballet School student Amelia Hancock at Mailbox Birmingham. Photography Ian Winstanley.

Elmhurst Ballet School student Harvey Evans at Selfridges Birmingham. Photography Ian Winstanley.

Elmhurst Ballet School student Janice Felices at The Big Peg in the Jewellery Quarter. Photography Ian Winstanley. 

Elmhurst Ballet School student James Lovell at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Photography Ian Winstanley.

 

Elmhurst Ballet School is a world-renowned centre of excellence in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet to prepare talented young dancers aged between 11 and 19 to become the thinking dance professionals of the future. 

The school nurtures individuality through a holistic approach to training, education and health, which helps students to become independent, collaborative and versatile artists, ready to take their places on the world stage. Elmhurst’s dance training is of the highest quality and is delivered by current and former dance professionals. It is enhanced by opportunities to work with Birmingham Royal Ballet, visiting choreographers and dance artists.

The academic team encourages and motivates students to achieve their educational potential, providing a balanced experience that will equip students with the skills, resilience and creativity to make their mark on the professional dance world and beyond.  Elmhurst Ballet School offers a strong academic education to complement and enrich vocational dance training, and to help develop well-rounded and versatile graduate students. Dance careers can be cut short by injury, or a change in aspiration and in these cases, academic education is invaluable.

Elmhurst believes that talent is classless and that elite ballet education should be available to young people, regardless of their financial background. UK students could be eligible for Government assistance, and bursaries and scholarships are available, assessed on merit and talent.

State-of-the-art facilities include seven professional dance studios, a fully equipped gym, sixth form common room, modern boarding accommodation, exceptional in-house catering, multi-use games area and a 240-seat studio theatre which enables professional performance opportunities and experience on-site.

Set in Edgbaston, a short distance from Birmingham’s young and vibrant centre and excellent transport links, gives students easy access to a range of arts, cultural and leisure activities including Birmingham Hippodrome (the home of Birmingham Royal Ballet), DanceXchange, Library of Birmingham, Town Hall & Symphony Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Galleries and many more.

Training to become an elite ballet dancer is physically and emotionally demanding, so Elmhurst takes a unique approach to health and wellbeing, founded on close working relationships across the school. This approach enables students to access a range of health services including: nurses; doctors; physiotherapy; nutrition advice; pastoral care and counselling; dance psychology; strength and conditioning; and performance enhancement coaching.

Elmhurst Ballet School is the only UK ballet school at the forefront of research in dance science. Using evidence based research, Elmhurst is pioneering ways for dancers to avoid injury by introducing ground-breaking fitness and rehabilitation techniques into their daily routine and training. In collaboration with experts at University of Wolverhampton and in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Clinical Director, these pioneering additions to dancers’ lives are already making positive outcomes for its students.