Press Release: English National Ballet School announces Executive Director, Jon Singleton, to step down

[Jan McNulty]

English National Ballet School announces Executive Director, Jon Singleton, to step down

 

English National Ballet School today announces its Executive Director Jon Singleton is stepping down from his role at the end of January.  Jon joined the School in 2018 and has been instrumental, along with Artistic Director Viviana Durante, in leading the School through the challenges of the past few years. Everyone at English National Ballet School wishes Jon every success for the future in his new business venture with his wife Hazel Singleton.

 

James Mee, Chair of the Board of Governors, said: “On behalf of the Board of Governors and all at English National Ballet School, I would like to thank Jon for his clear, calm leadership, not only in navigating the challenges of the pandemic but ensuring that ENBS has the foundations upon which to look forward to an exciting future. We wish him all the very best and thank him for everything he has done for the School.” 

 

Viviana Durante, Artistic Director said: “It has been a distinct pleasure to work alongside Jon these past two and a half years. Jon has always had the best interests of the School, its students and staff at heart and has worked tirelessly to promote them, not least in successfully tackling the challenges of the pandemic. He will be much missed but we wish him great success in his new venture.”

 

Jon Singleton, Executive Director said: “It has been an honour to be Executive Director of English National Ballet School. Working alongside Viviana, James, the board and staff to support our students has been a privilege. Whilst I will be sad to leave, I am excited about the opportunities 2022 will bring the School. I leave behind me the most dedicated of teams, whose caring, student focused approach has served the School so well during the pandemic and ensured the positive trajectory the School is now on.” 

 

While the School recruits for a new Executive Director, it is delighted to welcome Maggie Morris as Interim Executive Director. Maggie is a dance consultant, educator and co-founder of Safe in Dance International. She has been associated with the School in a number of roles for many years, including as a former governor. 

 

 

Notes to Editors 

 

About English National Ballet School 

English National Ballet School prepares the finest young ballet dancers for a lifetime of achievement, providing world-class training, education, pastoral care and performance opportunities. We provide our students with the confidence, creativity and skills for a career as a professional dancer with the major international companies, and for a future beyond performing. We aspire to be the school of choice for the next generation of ballet artists and to pioneer the future of dance education. www.enbschool.org.uk 

 

About Maggie Morris 

Maggie Morris is a dance management consultant, dance educator and co-founder of Safe in Dance International (SiDI).  After initially training in the UK, she moved to New York where she joined the Murray Louis Dance Company touring internationally.  She also performed in musical theatre, film and television.  On her return to the UK Maggie took up the position of Artistic Director at Phoenix Dance Company.  On leaving Phoenix she developed her career a freelance director, educator, choreographer and dance education consultant.  She was also the Head of Undergraduate Studies at TrinityLaban, London and worked as Head of Dance and Acting Qualifications at Trinity College London.

Over the past 20 years, Maggie Morris’ focus has been as a dance educator and consultant. In 1999, she was appointed as a subject specialist inspector for all Dance and Drama Awards Provider’s in the UK and was appointed Her Majesty’s Inspector to the Office for Standards in Education (HMI) in July 2001.

As a consultant, Maggie has worked with a wide range of organisations such as the DfE, the ISTD, People Dancing, Trinity College London and with AT&T in the USA working with two other choreographers to develop a management training programme encouraging risk taking and creativity in business.  Her consultancy work has included leadership and management training on behalf of the DfE for the senior management of the Dance and Drama Awards Schools.  She has also been an advisor and consultant on course programmes and education management with a range of professional performing arts training institutions including London Studio Centre, SLP College, Mountview and Liverpool Theatre School. With Safe in Dance International she has developed, with her colleagues, a range of healthy Dance Practice Certificates and courses with the aim of promoting healthy dance practice worldwide. SiDI works with key international experts such as NIDMS, IADMS and Healthy Dancer Canada to ensure that the most recent research in dance science is brought to benefit those working in the studio as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Maggie has been privileged to sit on the boards of many dance organisations including Dance UK, the Arts Council Dance Panel, the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund and the English National Ballet School.  Maggie has written on the performing arts for publications in both the USA and Europe.  She has an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University.

In 2021, Maggie was given the Jane Attenborough One Dance UK Industry Award for her contribution to the dance sector. She is thrilled to be working with the team at the English National Ballet school in this Interim Executive Director role