Sixteen-year-old Leonora Chircop following the Diploma in Professional Dance course at the Malta Youth Ballet Foundation.

The Malta Youth Ballet Foundation is offering the first full-time professional dance course in Malta. The course, which has been designed by the founding members of the foundation, is intensive and satisfies all the technical requirements for a Level 5 Diploma in Professional Dance.

All students who qualify with this diploma will then be eligible to work in a professional dance company. This qualification is recognised by the University of Malta and by most universities overseas.

The aim of the foundation is to make a dancing career a reality for Maltese dance students, with the support and collaboration of all those involved in this field.

The foundation makes it possible to pursue professional tuition locally with an intensive course by highly qualified teachers, at a very reasonable fee.

The course reaches international standards, with the subjects covered in the course, teaching methods and the professional level of training being of the same level as one would find in other full-time training institutions overseas.

The Diploma in Professional Dance is a two-year full-time course. Students train on a daily basis from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday from September to July.

Professional training is offered in classical ballet, repertoire, female/male virtuosity, pas de deux, modern dance, Spanish dance and contemporary dance, among others.

During the programme, students are also entered for dance competitions both locally and overseas to encourage performance experience.

Students enrolled in the course receive the student stipend and smart card scheme.

They are also eligible to apply for tax rebate schemes offered by the government for course fees upon completion of the course.

The course starts in September and applications for July auditions are currently open.

For more information e-mail info@casabene.com.

www.maltayouthballet.com