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’



Notes for Editors

Nadia Nerina
Nadia Nerina was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She moved to England and joined Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet becoming widely celebrated for her outstanding technique. In 1960, she became the first western dancer to perform with both the Bolshoi and the Kirov Ballets, where her supreme artistry and dazzling virtuosity were celebrated. Recognising her brilliant technical gifts and sunny stage presence, .Sir Frederick Ashton created for her the leading role of Lise in his masterpiece La Fille mal gardée - still one of the world’s most popular full-length narrative ballets. In 1955, she married the banker Charles Gordon (who survives her) retiring to their home in France in 1969 where she died in 2008.


Esteban Hernandez
The first recipient of the Nadia Nerina Scholarship, 16 year-old Esteban Hernandez is from Guadalajara, Mexico. He commenced his dance training with his father Hector Hernandez and at age 14 continued at the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadephia, USA. He is the winner of numerous gold medals at major international ballet competitions, most notably at the Youth America Grand Prix where his exceptional talent was noticed by Royal Ballet School Director, Gailene Stock AM. Esteban has already been presented with an Ambassador of the Arts award by Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico.



For further information, images please contact:

Jim Fletcher
Development Manager
The Royal Ballet School
Tel: +44 20 7845 7074; Mob: +7768 455667
Email: jimf@royalballetschool.co.uk