The Royal Ballet School has announced the appointment of Mark Annear as its new Head of Outreach and Teacher Training Programme. This new role has been created to advance The Royal Ballet School’s well-established Outreach Programme and, at the same time, evolve a comprehensive Teacher Training Programme.

Mr Annear, who is currently Head of Teacher Training and Community Access at The Australian Ballet School, will commence his appointment in January 2011, succeeding Kathryn Wade who has led the School’s Outreach Programme since 2005.

Mr Annear danced with The Australian Ballet for 8 years where he rose to the rank of Coryphée, dancing many soloist and principal roles including the Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle, the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Mercutio in John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet and Bim in Maurice Bejart’s Gaieté Parisienne. During that time he also assisted the Company’s artistic staff for 4 years where he was responsible for administrative duties and teaching company classes.

Mr Annear is a graduate of the Australian Ballet School and among his impressive academic qualifications is a Bachelor of Education & Training from the University of Melbourne and he is currently undertaking a Master in School Leadership from Melbourne’s Monash University.

Mr Annear has been a teacher at The Australian Ballet School since 1992 and a key member of the School’s Senior Management since 1999. He has been responsible for developing and expanding a highly successful community access programme for the School. At the same time, The Australian Ballet School’s highly regarded Teacher Training Programme advanced significantly under his expert leadership.

Commenting on Mr Annear’s appointment, Director of The Royal Ballet School, Gailene Stock AM said:

For the past twenty years, Mark’s expertise and passion as an educator and choreographer has had such a positive and lasting impact on the Australian ballet scene. His academic qualifications are outstanding. We very much look forward to welcoming Mark’s energy and vision to The Royal Ballet School and ushering in an exciting, new era in the development of the School and of the art form in this country’


For further information, images please contact:

Jim Fletcher
Development Manager
The Royal Ballet School
Tel: +44 20 7846 7074; Mob: +7768 455667
Email: jimf@royalballetschool.co.uk