Scottish Ballet outreach

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today met Scottish Ballet students studying at the prestigious New York school of performing arts with the support of Scottish Government funding.

Fourteen of Scottish Ballet’s male and female dancers aged between 14 – 24 are currently taking part in a two week visit to the US, collaborating with dance students from the New York University TISCH (School of the Performing Arts) to create a new work to be premiered at The Joyce Theater in New York City.

This exchange gives Scottish Ballet the opportunity to showcase Scottish dance training abroad. Scottish Ballet is coaching the group throughout their trip, and helping them build and enhance their skills by hosting dance workshops in local high schools in deprived areas of the city. The Youth Exchange students are also taking master classes at New York City Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.

This support is part of a wider £100,000 International Touring Fund awarded to Scottish Ballet this year to enable their first ever run in New York, alongside performances in Minneapolis, and Los Angeles and Berkeley, California.

The First Minister met the group at TISCH, where she watched them in rehearsals. Speaking after the visit, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“Scotland’s performing arts are world-renowned and I am delighted that the Scottish Government has been able to help support Scottish Ballet to come to New York and showcase the talent that we have nurtured.

“I want to make sure that every young person across Scotland achieves their full potential, and there is no doubt that the young people taking part in this exchange will benefit hugely from the once-in-a-lifetime experience there’s receiving at such a prestigious school.”

Background

Scotland’s five National Performing Companies are now in their 11th year of a direct funding relationship with the Scottish Government, which started in April 2007. The revenue contribution for these Companies has been maintained consistently, with £22.49m agreed for 2017/18.

The Scottish Government has also provided an additional International Touring Fund to the National Performing Companies of £350,000 each year to support international touring. As of 2007/08 almost £3.5m of funding has been awarded in support of this wider international work.