Elmhurst Ballet School has announced that its new Vice President will be Wayne McGregor CBE, a post that has been held previously by Carlos Acosta CBE, Maina Gielgud AO, Dame Merle Park and Sir Peter Wright CBE.
Elmhurst students to work with Studio Wayne McGregor artists and explore McGregor’s repertoire and process. The newly created Elmhurst Ballet Company was granted permission to perform an excerpt from McGregor's Entity in 2018-9 and there are plans for a new work to be created with Elmhurst in Birmingham and London in 2020. Company Wayne McGregor dancers will also work with students from across the school to create work for the school’s performance series.
Students will receive talks from McGregor, mentoring and buddying from Company Wayne McGregor dancers, audition preparation workshops and the opportunity to take company classes at Studio Wayne McGregor. There will also be a possibility for Elmhurst students to be involved in Studio Wayne McGregor’s professional development programmes.
Jessica Wheeler, Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School, said, “we are thrilled to welcome Wayne McGregor CBE as Elmhurst Ballet School’s Vice President. Our students will benefit immeasurably from the opportunity to work with Wayne and his company. Wayne is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost choreographers working today and this partnership marks an extraordinarily exciting time in Elmhurst’s history.”
McGregor added, “I am thrilled to contribute to the vision and future programme of Elmhurst as Vice President. The creative training of young dancers has been a career long passion. As dance companies worldwide extend their repertoire, dancers need to be equipped with new skills that offer them the best chance to succeed. Studio Wayne McGregor is delighted to contribute to this fresh horizon and looks forward to working in Birmingham which continues to flourish as a centre of excellence for all forms of dance.”