New Scholarship launched for non European Union students of The Royal Ballet School - The Nadia Nerina Scholarship 2010 is awarded to Esteban Hernandez

The Royal Ballet School has announced that the recipient of the 2010 Nadia Nerina Scholarship is the School’s first Mexican student, 16-year Esteban Hernandez.This marks the inaugural award of this new Scholarship which is being launched to coincide with what would have been the great ballerina’s 83rd birthday on 21 October 2010.

The initiative of The Philip Loubser Foundation, The Nadia Nerina Scholarship is a gift in perpetuity to The Royal Ballet School and is designed to support exceptionally talented students from beyond the European Union. A full scholarship will be awarded to a non-European Union student every second year and support them for their three years at The Royal Ballet Upper School. The intention is that the first year student will have a ‘mentor’ in the graduate year who has also benefitted from the Scholarship.

Catherine Loubser, Director of The Philip Loubser Foundation comments:

‘We believe that The Nadia Nerina Scholarship reflects both the background and the interests of Nadia Nerina. The Scholarship will enable future generations of talented ballet students from outside the European Union – normally ineligible for financial support from the UK Government - to benefit from the world-class training at The Royal Ballet School’

Director of The Royal Ballet School, Gailene Stock AM adds:

‘We are deeply grateful to The Philip Loubser Foundation. The tremendous gift of the Nadia Nerina Scholarship will enable us to help outstanding young international students to achieve their potential and share their excellence with the world. I am excited that the Scholarship will also ensure that the great name and wonderful heritage of this brilliant ballerina remains fresh in the minds of many generations to come’