40 students from four Music and Dance Scheme Schools join forces at The Royal Ballet School for anniversary celebration.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, The Society of Heads of Independent Schools (SHMIS) hosted an event entitled Golden Celebrations at The Royal Ballet Upper School on 12 October.

More than 40 students from four of the Music and Dance Scheme schools performed a dazzling mixed bill of music and dance for the 150 delegates and guests attending. Music students from The Purcell School performed pieces by Paul Hindemith and Michio Kitazume and Malcolm Singer conducted an orchestra of students from The Yehudi Menuhin School in Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins.

Dancers from Tring Park School for the Performing Arts performed I Gotta Feeling, choreographed by Terry Wright to music by The Black Eyed Peas. Students from The Royal Ballet School brought the performance to a close with two of the most spectacular pas de deux from the classical ballet repertoire: Don Quixote and Le Corsaire.

One of the major groups representing Head Teachers, SHMIS was formed in 1961 and now represents about 100 schools, in the UK and overseas. Many SHMIS schools have a boarding tradition; a number are at the leading edge of education in music, dance and the arts; and several are well-known for their effective support for those with learning difficulties.

The Academic and Pastoral Head of The Royal Ballet School, Dr Charles Runacres, comments:

‘The Royal Ballet School is delighted to have been invited to host Golden Celebrations at the Upper School in Covent Garden. It was especially pleasing that students from four of the Music and Dance Scheme schools could come together in one place to perform such a varied repertoire, with such verve and enjoyment. The exceptional performances of the students summed up the outstanding standards of training offered by the Music and Dance Schools.’


Pictured: Some of the students who participated in Golden Celebrations

Photo: Tim Rogers