Principal dancer Francesca Hayward announced as Lead Ambassador of The Royal Ballet School’s recreational dance programme
Current Principal of The Royal Ballet and alumna of The Royal Ballet School, Francesca Hayward, has today been announced as Lead Ambassador of the School’s Affiliate Training and Assessment Programme (ATAP).
Francesca Hayward, one of the world’s most lauded ballerinas, began her journey with The Royal Ballet School as a Junior Associate in 2003 before joining White Lodge, Upper School and later The Royal Ballet during the 2010/11 season.
She has made her mark on the world stage, known for her captivatingly expressive performances in an expansive array of repertoire, ranging from Manon and Romeo and Juliet to Giselle, The Dream andLike Water for Chocolate. With the Company, Francesca became a First Artist in 2013, Soloist in 2014, First Soloist in 2015 and Principal dancer in 2016.
An advocate for the art form both on and off the stage, Francesca is a visionary artist, passionate about widening access to dance for all children. Together, both Francesca and The Royal Ballet School will welcome a new era of dance training and teaching that keeps pace with the evolving needs of the art form.
Francesca Hayward said:
‘To be asked to be the Lead Ambassador for The Royal Ballet School’s ground-breaking Affiliate Programme is a great honour. This is such an important programme for the future of classical ballet, from the School which has shaped my life and career as an artist. The programme doesn’t just teach ballet steps and technique but allows young people to appreciate and fall in love with ballet as an art form. I’m delighted to be a part of it.’
As Lead Ambassador, Francesca will help spread awareness of the School’s innovative Affiliate Programme to dance students, parents and teachers worldwide. By promoting the long-term benefits of holistic dance education, Francesca will help achieve the programme’s mission of preserving ballet as an art and instilling young dancers with an enjoyment for dance and knowledge of the art form.
Artistic Director Christopher Powney said:
‘It is an honour to welcome Francesca – one of the School’s extraordinary alumna and leading dancers of her generation – as Lead Ambassador of our Affiliate Programme. Francesca embodies everything the Affiliate Programme stands for: expressiveness, creativity, versatility, and passion for the art form.
She is an inspiration to current and future dancers with her luminous presence, exceptional artistic and technical ability and dedication to her craft. I couldn’t think of a better role model and mentor for our Affiliate Programme students and teachers. We look forward to working with her to continue revolutionising the face of recreational and private dance training and shaping the artists of the future.’
ATAP was designed to extend The Royal Ballet School’s ethos and expertise to private and recreational dance teachers. Like Francesca, ATAP students train in the School’s unique System of Training, designed with students at the centre of the learning process.
Using the rich heritage of the School’s student and teacher training programmes, the programme delivers an unrivalled holistic learning experience where both teachers and students value and enjoy dance education, training and the process of learning. Students learning under ATAP don’t just learn ballet steps and technique but also learn ballet repertoire, appreciation and choreography. This makes the programme unique and ensures students can situate the ballet vocabulary they are learning in context and develop a love for the art form itself.
Dance teachers train with The Royal Ballet School and are accredited to deliver the programme to students in their own schools as Affiliate Teachers. As an alternative to the current recreational sector examination model, teachers are empowered to assess their students and given guidance through ongoing training and moderation from The Royal Ballet School.