Feliks Parnell General Ballet School in Łódź
Feliks Parnell General Ballet School in Łódź
Dancers’ Ensemble of the Feliks Parnell General Ballet School in Łódź
Aleksandra Stanisławska, Bogumiła Sołek choreography
The Feliks Parnell General Ballet School in Łódź was established in 1975. Even though it is the youngest state school in Poland that educates professional dancers, it has many achievements to its credit and its graduates work in renowned ballet ensembles in Poland (including the Grand Theatre-National Opera in Warsaw and the Grand Theatre in Łódź and in Poznań) and abroad (including the Staatsballett in Berlin, Staatsballett in Stuttgart, Wayne McGregor / Random Dance in London and in the Vienna Opera).
Each year, students of the ballet school take part in artistic projects – theatrical events, festivals and concerts held in the school and in the community. This activity promotes the school and the art of dancing in the city, in Poland and abroad. The school traditionally cooperates with the Grand Theatre and Music Theatre in Łódź and with the Łódź Philharmonic, thanks to which students have an opportunity to express themselves and be involved in the creative process on stage. Annual school concerts in the Grand Theatre have become a tradition. During these concerts students of the school perform in repertoire from the greatest masterpieces of classical ballet, in modern forms and in characteristic and folk dances.
Students represent the school at international and national dance competitions, winning prizes and distinctions. Recent achievements include the “Tanzolymp” International Dance Competition in Berlin (2012, 2013), International Ballet Competition in Prague (2012), Youth America Grand Prix – semifinals in Paris (2012), finals in New York (2013) and the National Young Dancers’ Competition Meetings in Łódź (2012). The students’ performance in the Wojciech Wiesiołowski National Dance Competition in Gdańsk resulted in prizes and honourable mentions.
In January 2014 the students represented the school at the International Choreography Competition in Bytom.
In an effort to maintain a high level of classical, modern and characteristic dance education, the school management organises dance and theory workshops for teachers and students, run by artists and teachers from abroad (Wayne McGregor and Random Dance in London, the A. Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg and the Staatsballett in Berlin). Thanks to cooperation with the Marshall’s Voivodship Office in Łódź, the students of the school have been regularly attending (since 2009) the International Festival of Modern Choreography in Vitebsk. The school has also commenced cooperation with the Vitebsk State College of Culture and Art. In 2011 students were invited by the governor of the Leningrad Oblast and by the Marshall of the łódzkie voivodship to travel to St. Petersburg. The purpose of the trip was to take part in the gala concert during the 5th Forum of Leningrad Oblast Partner Regions – “Children – Our Mutual Future”.
In the last week of April 2014, two of the school’s students took part in the 13th DANCE OPEN International Ballet Festival in St. Petersburg.
One of the most important artistic events this year was cooperation with the Stanisław Moniuszko Music School Complex in Łódź. This resulted in the students’ involvement in the production of the musical “The Blue Castle” (2013) and performances at the La Folle Journée Festival in Warsaw in September of 2013.
The three most recent artistic challenges that took place in April 2013 were also a source of satisfaction for the school. The students’ participation in the Wojciech Wiesiołowski National Dance Competition resulted in awards and distinctions.
Students of the school also received distinctions in the New York finals of the Youth America Grand Prix and in the “Golden Pointe” competition for students and graduates of ballet schools in Szczecin. They have also received special awards, including a month-long workshop in North Miami Beach, organised by the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida with the cooperation of teachers from the Agrippina Veganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg and Vladimir Issaev – artistic director of the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in the United States.
In 2007, the Friends of Łódź Society awarded the school the Sabina Nowicka “Pro publico bono” medal for creative and significant achievements for national culture and for the city of Łódź. In 2010 the school received an Innovative Institution Certificate from the Centre for Teacher Development and Practical Education.
