Sunderland Ballet
We are a traditional ballet school in the heart of the city providing classes for children and adults in the renowned Cecchetti method of training. Classes are small and friendly, and all taken by fully qualified staff who have many years of experience teaching at all levels. There are regular opportunities to perform and to take accredited exams.
Emily Wallace MA(Hons) MA PGCE DDE QTS
Director
Emily is a fully qualified teacher and has worked in schools across Sunderland. In addition she holds the ISTD’s Diploma in Dance Education with a specialism in Cecchetti Classical Ballet. Her early training was in RAD ballet with renowned Sunderland teacher Miss Fearne, and she holds RAD exams up to the vocational levels. She later encountered the Cecchetti Method in Glasgow, training under Maureen Christie. On her return on the North East of England she studied for the vocational Cecchetti exams with Professor Ann Loades CBE and returned to Glasgow to take the teaching qualifications. She is fully insured, First Aid trained and DBS-checked.
Enrico Cecchetti and his Method
Enrico Cecchetti (Cher-KETty) was born in Rome into a dancing family and became one of the leading virtuoso performers of his day. He later travelled to Russia, where Italian dancers were much in demand for their incredible technique. However it is as a teacher that he is primarily remembered today. His approach is based on established anatomical principles, and as such it is a Method of training, and not just a syllabus. His work was codified and recorded in the early 1920s so that future dancers might benefit. The Cecchetti Society was formed to preserve his work, which is now part of the ISTD. The Cecchetti Method is known for its unique port de bras, simplicity of style and use of the upper body. It produces dancers with a harmonious line and coordination, with precise footwork.