Next Generation's Principal Dancers on Turnham Green

Masters of Ballet event will feature live music and jaw dropping dance

Dancer who will be performing at Chiswick event. Picture: Sian Trembath

If you're a lover of the arts, don't miss this coming Saturday's Masters of Ballet Academy event on Turnham Green from 2pm to 5pm. The event delivers world class ballet, music and vocal performances directly to Chiswick residents who can expect a stunning stage, lush scenery, intricate, hand sewn costumes, live music, singing from mezzo soprano (and Chiswick local) Luci de Nordwall Cornish and two performances featuring a total of 70 young people - the next generation of principal dancers ranging from age 5 to 18 - will be held on Turnham Green.

Masterminded by long time W4 local Elena Glurjidze, recently retired Lead Principal of the English National Ballet, and Olga Semenova, who graduated and taught juniors and pre-seniors from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and who has 30 years of teaching experience. Tickets include exclusive access with allocated seating as well as various catered food options and fully stocked bar (available to purchase). Both performances cater to the young and young at heart with both adults and children, who will undoubtedly be inspired by the young dancers, welcome to join the audience. A local parent told us, “My son and daughter love to dance and my daughter has been studying ballet since she was 2 so I am hoping the performances will be both enthralling and encouraging!”

When three debut performances of Cipollino sold out in Sadler's Wells, Elena was encouraged by the glowing reviews to hold a performance on the afternoon of Saturday 22 June for west London locals right here in Chiswick. The story of Cipollino is an adaptation from Gianni Rodari's 1951 book of the same name. All of the characters are either fruit or vegetables and the plot is one of a happy band of characters whose lives are disrupted by the villains, Prince Lemon and General Tomato. Cipollino manages to step on Prince Lemon's foot and flees for his life… meanwhile his mother is taken hostage by Lemon and Tomato. The rest of the plot is planning how to release her and defeat the villains which in the end is done by the beautiful Radish who persuades everyone to work together. The second performance will be a fusion of ballet and classical song. Faure, Poulenc, Handel, Cole Porter and Gershwin feature and the piece set to Handel's “What Passions Cannot Music Quell or Raise” is choreographed by Chiswick resident Wayne Eagling.

Elena runs the Masters of Ballet Academy in a sparkling new facility at Club des Sports here in Chiswick and Acton. The majority of her students are west London locals but many travel from all over the UK, including Bristol, Oxford, Wales and Ireland, to study under Elena and Olga's tutelage. Masters of Ballet Academy welcomes new applications from students age 4 to 19; once the audition is passed, no child is turned away if they can demonstrate need which ensures children from every background can pursue a career in dance should they possess the natural talent. In just under 2 years, Elena's and Olga's students have received offers and scholarships from The Royal Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet, Sydney Ballet Conservatoire, Amsterdam Dance Conservatoire and the Central School of Ballet. They travel the world competing and performing which makes the chance to see the company right here in W4 an unmissable and utterly unique opportunity.

June 16, 2019