Nine-year-old Berkhamsted dancer joins National Youth Ballet

A nine-year-old ballet dancer from Berkhamsted has joined the National Youth Ballet.

Faye Haden successfully auditioned for National Youth Ballet (NYB), and will take part in the Dancers’ Development Experience this summer.

Working with professional dancers, choreographers and teachers, Faye will work intensively alongside fellow students to hone technical skills, develop artistry and cultivate creativity.

Faye attends Jo De Souza Dance School, in Tring, and began learning to dance aged three.

She said: “I’m so excited to work with a choreographer and rehearsal director and learn new repertoire just like a professional ballerina in a ballet company!”

For its 2021 season, NYB has had to reimagine how it works, due to the ongoing pandemic situation.

Throughout the year NYB has offered a range of online workshops and courses but now returns to the studio to deliver a real-world ballet experience, in person, with the Dancers’ Development Experience.

This non-residential week-long course will be held in London and offers young dancers the chance to experience the life of a professional dancer and the chance to work together as a company.

During the Dancers' Development Experience choreographer Sophia Hurdley and rehearsal director Carrie Johnson will be reimagining NYB's classic repertoire Ameliaranne and The Green Umbrella for the Junior Company (ages nine to 11, 23 to 27 August).

The senior company will work with choreographer Louise Bennett and rehearsal director Charlie Brittain on the summer movement from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (ages 12-18, 16-20 August).

All four seasons were originally choreographed in 2002 for NYB by Frank Freeman.

Dancer’s families will have the opportunity to see a filmed recording of the work created.

National Youth Ballet cultivates and nurtures talent in young people, who will create the ballet of the future.

For over 30 years NYB has provided transformational opportunities for young people to participate in, create and perform classical and contemporary ballet.