Cecchetti Society Trust News December 2024

Cecchetti Society Trust News

Welcome to the Cecchetti Society Trust Newsletter

We are pleased to report on the success of our Vocational Classical Ballet Awards on Sunday 24th November 2024 at Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham. The deserving commendations and winners are pictured above with our Adjudicators Sara Gallie and David Yow.

We are also pleased to report on the success of the ISTD Cecchetti Mabel Ryan Awards and the Malta Awards, both events for young dancers that the Trust is able to help support.

Support for teachers is a key objective for the Trust and applications are now invited for Teachers Study Bursaries 2025. Bursaries are to support initial and continuing professional development, at all levels of study, from those at the start of their training to experienced teachers.

Lastly, Trustees warmly thank all those who have generously supported our events and donated to the Trust in 2024. We wish everyone a happy and peaceful festive season and a successful New Year. We look forward to your continued support in 2025.

Cecchetti Society Trust
Vocational Classical Ballet Awards 2024

The Cecchetti Society Trust Vocational Classical Ballet Awards 2024/25 took place on Sunday 24th November 2024 at Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham. Elisabeth Swan, Chair of the Trust warmly welcomed competitors, teachers and audience members - many of whom had battled with Storm Bert weather to get to Birmingham!

All competitors participated in an adjudicated ballet class onstage. Those entering the Barbara Geoghegan Award and Cyril Beaumont Scholarship also performed a classical solo. The onstage classes were taught by Mark Allison, with inspiring accompaniment by Jonnie Gait.

The Adjudicators were Sara Gallie, former Soloist - The Royal Ballet and David Yow, Former Principal Dancer - Birmingham Royal Ballet, who gave invaluable advice and warm encouragement to the young dancers through their adjudication. A team of volunteers worked tirelessly back stage to ensure the smooth running of the day.

Pictured from the top are: Fewster Cecchetti Scholarship Winner: Philippa Robertson-Kellie. Barbara Geoghegan Award Winner: Maddison Thew. Cyril Beaumont Musicality Award: Momoka Takeda. Cyril Beaumont Scholarship Winner: Oliver Bocero Hanan. Beaumont Promising Young Dancer: Charlotte Carter; Runner Up: Becca Brusven.

A Gallery of all photos taken by Elaine Mayson can be viewed and purchased using the following link and password :- https://elainemaysonphotography.shootproof.com/gallery/26271538/ Password: CSTVCBA24

The full Awards results and a review can be found using the button link below.

VOCATIONAL AWARDS

Cecchetti Society Trust
Teachers Study Bursaries 2025

The Cecchetti Society Trust has a range of bursaries given annually to support teachers in their study of the Cecchetti Method of classical ballet. So if you are intending to further your professional development in 2025 with a course of study, attendance at a summer school, or through taking an examination, a Trust bursary could help you achieve this aim. Applications are open to those studying ISTD Cecchetti in the UK and Internationally.

Applications for CST Teachers Study Bursaries 2025 (for study in the period January 2025 - December 2025) are now open.
Further Information, Terms & Conditions and an Application Form can be found using the button link below. Applications must be returned by 1st March 2025 to: admin@cecchettisocietytrust.org

FIND OUT MORE

Cecchetti Malta Awards 2024

The ISTD Cecchetti Classical Ballet Faculty Malta Awards, supported by the Trust, took place on 1st December 2024 at the Johane Casabene Conservatoire, Qormi. 110 students took part in the 3 levels of the Awards. The Adjudicator was Brenda Lee Grech, a Maltese classical dancer who has danced professionally with Scottish Ballet & Rambert Dance Company.

Elizabeth Garner Watson taught the classes, with Veronique Vella accompanying. Pictured L- R are Brenda Lee Grech with the Tanya Bayona Senior Award winners - Special Commendation: Bianca Ellul Sullivan; Winner: Ella Pace, both pupils of Marisha Bonnici. Runner Up: Eleyna Darmanin, a pupil of Johane Casabene.

Brenda complimented all the students and encouraged them to continue pursuing their dance studies. The event was organised by Theresa Lungaro-Mifsud and small team of dedicated volunteer teachers, who are all to be congratulated on the growth and success of the Awards, since first established in Malta in 2018.

ISTD Cecchetti Mabel Ryan Awards 2024

The ISTD Cecchetti Classical Ballet Faculty Mabel Ryan Awards took place on 17th November 2024 at Central School of Ballet, London. 85 young dancers from a wide range of Cecchetti schools gathered to take part in the Lower Junior, Junior, Middle and Senior levels of the Awards. The Adjudicators were David Yow, Linda Isaacs and Mary Stassinopoulos. The onstage classes were presented by Sarah Wells and Anna Zammit Lupi and accompanied by Osman Tack.

The event was organised by the ISTD Cecchetti Classical Ballet Faculty Committee, the Head of Faculty Development, Philippa McMeechan and Awards Organiser, Lisa Hunter. It is a great credit to them all, along with a superb backstage team of volunteer Cecchetti teachers and ISTD staff that the day was a great success. The enjoyment shown by the young dancers and the appreciation of their audience was very apparent, making it a memorable event which the Trust was delighted to support.

Christmas Gifts for Ballet Lovers?
Donate to the Cecchetti Society Trust!

If anyone is looking for Christmas presents for ballet lovers, please do consider making a donation in their name to the Cecchetti Society Trust! Ways in which donations are used to support the work of the Trust and details of how to donate can be found using the link below. All donations the Trust receives are greatly appreciated.

DONATE

Contact Us

We would like to share our news as widely as possible across the Cecchetti community of teachers, students and ballet lovers. If you know of others who would be interested to receive the Newsletter, please invite them to sign up. The Cecchetti Society Trust can be contacted through our website at Contact Us or by email: chair@cecchettisocietytrust.org

Image credits: Elaine Mayson; ISTD; © 2024 Cecchetti Society Trust, All rights reserved Registered trademarks of The Cecchetti Society Trust Nos UK 0000338372 & 0000338373 Registered Charity in England & Wales No 1197857