Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award: 2012 winners announced

The 2012 Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award was held at the Upper School on Friday 23 March. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2013, the Ursula Moreton Award forms a central part of the BTEC National Diploma in Dance, involving every second year student in some aspect of staging a production. Some of the roles taken by students include Wardrobe, Print Design, Photography and Stage, Technical and Front-of-House Management. The course is led by choreographers Kate Flatt and Jennifer Jackson.

Eight students created new choreography for this year’s competition whose distinguished judges were Kim Brandstrup, Assis Carreiro and Jeanetta Laurence. The results were as follows:

1st Prize: Matthew Knight - A Portrait of a Family
2nd Prize: Samuel Rees - Outside
3rd Prize: Marcelino Sambé - Tocando (touching)

Ursula Moreton was influential during the 1940’s, encouraging the nascent choreographic talent of the young Kenneth MacMillan and John Cranko. She became Ballet Principal of both The Royal Ballet Upper and Lower Schools and was instrumental in ensuring that choreography became embedded in the School’s training system.

The Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award was established in 1973 following her death and, over the years, has highlighted the outstanding talent of some of our most influential choreographers: David Bintley, Adam Cooper, William Tuckett, Christopher Hampson, Matthew Hart, Cathy Marston, Christopher Wheeldon, Liam Scarlett and Jonathan Watkins.

The Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award is generously sponsored by Peter Wilson.

Pictured: Judges and Winners 2012
Photo: Marius Arnold-Clarke