World-renowned ballet star to lead ambitious dance education project for children

World renowned ballet educator and former Prima Ballerina Viviana Durante has joined a trailblazing arts education group in the West Midlands to lead one of the most groundbreaking ballet education programmes in Britain.

Birmingham based Transformation Partnership has announced the appointment of Viviana Durante, one of the most celebrated dramatic ballerinas of recent times, as its new Artistic Director: Ballet, a landmark moment in the Partnership’s mission to deliver world-class cultural education to children and young people in disadvantaged communities.

Viviana joins the Partnership following her acclaimed leadership as Artistic Director of the English National Ballet School, where she oversaw the artistic and educational flourishing of young dancers from across the UK and beyond. As Prima Ballerina (Principal Dancer) with The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Japan’s K-Ballet, Viviana earned international acclaim for her dramatic power, musicality and artistry.

In her new role, Viviana will oversee the delivery of weekly ballet lessons to over 850 children shaping curriculum, pedagogy and performance opportunities across the Partnership’s growing network of schools and academy trusts. Her leadership will elevate the programme’s artistic ambition and ensure that children experience the discipline, creativity and joy of classical dance at a standard rarely accessible in mainstream schooling.

Speaking of her new appointment, Viviana said: “I’m honoured to be appointed Artistic Director: Ballet of Transformation Partnership’s ambitious programme to bring world-class arts education to communities where it can make a genuine difference. The arts have the power to enrich lives profoundly, and it is a privilege to inspire primary and secondary learners across the West Midlands to discover ballet and perform together. Ballet is a universal language of beauty and discipline, empowering children and young people through the transformative experience of shared expression”.

John Barneby, CEO of Oasis Community Learning said: “We are incredibly proud to be working with Transformation Partnership. Having recently brought world-class Opera to our Midlands schools, we are excited to now welcome Viviana Durante to launch a ballet programme. This is a fantastic opportunity which will open doors, raise aspirations, and ensure that children and young people, regardless of background, have access to world-class cultural education. Viviana’s leadership and belief in the transformative power of the arts aligns deeply with our values, and we are excited about the impact our work with Transformation Partnership will have on the cultural capital of pupils across the West Midlands.”

Vince Green, CEO of Summit Learning Trust said: “The appointment of Viviana Durante is amazing news for our school children involved in this project. For Summit learners to be able to work directly with an individual with this level of world-class expertise and experience from the world of ballet is a unique opportunity. We look forward with great excitement to seeing our primary and secondary children perform at the culmination of their work with Viviana.”

Khadeem Duncan-Banerjee, Founder & CEO of Transformation Partnership said: “Every child deserves access to an exceptional cultural education. Viviana’s appointment is a defining moment in that mission. Her dedication to widening access will transform our ballet provision and open new possibilities for every child who walks into our classrooms and studios.”