Young dancers can experience the best in classical and contemporary ballet training along with Cuban dance technique in an exciting new Easter holiday programme taking place 7 to 12 April at the Acosta Dance Centre in South London.
The inaugural Carlos Acosta Easter Camp (CAEC) is a week-long intensive for aspiring dancers aged 12 to 18 which offers a unique perspective on professional dance training within Carlos Acosta’s growing curriculum. The holiday course will immerse young dancers in a rich ballet programme that includes daily classes, pointe work, boys’ coaching, contemporary repertoire and pilates, as well as técnica cubana and Cuban folklore.
The CAEC is an opportunity for the dancers to train in an exceptional dance facility in South London while refining their ballet technique and artistry within a brilliantly inspiring and inclusive environment.
The star-studded line up of teachers across the week-long intensive includes Principal of The Royal Ballet Sarah Lamb (Ballet Masterclass and Répétiteur); Frederic Ashton Répétiteur Vanessa Palmer (Frederic Ashton Masterclass); Former Principal of the Royal Danish Ballet and The Royal Ballet, Nehemiah Kish (Ballet and solo work); First Soloist at The Royal Ballet, Yuhui Choe (Ballet/Pointework); Premier Dancer at Northern Ballet, Joseph Taylor (Ballet); Former Principal at ICRT Ballet in Cuba, Anne Marie Gonzalez (Ballet); Teacher at the Royal Ballet and The Place London, Elly Braund (Pilates); Master of Cuban folkloric dances and Acosta Dance Foundation Education and Artistic Programmes Manager, Luanda Pau (Cuban Folklore); Choreographer and Teacher Miguel Atunaga Verdecia (Contemporary), Choreographer and Teacher Estala Merlos Parreno (Contemporary), Acting Coach Law Ballard (Meisner acting workshop); Hair, wig and makeup artist, Melanie Bouvet (Stage wigs and makeup tutorial); Teacher and graduate of Ballet Academie Munich, Kim Amundsen (Floor Barre); Director and Choreographer, Javier De Frutos (Choreographic workshop), Acosta Dance Foundation Managing Director and Former Premier Dancer at Northern Ballet, Javier Torres (Ballet); Acosta Dance Foundation Artistic Lead and former Dancer of the Royal Ballet, Ludovic Ondiviela (Ballet).
The Cuban classes are spearheaded by Luanda Pau, a master of Cuban folkloric dances who comes from a legendary dance family in Cuba. Born in Havana, Pau graduated from the National School of Art of Cuba in 1994. She was a soloist of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba and has 17 years of experience as a teacher and choreographer of Afro-Cuban dances working in Europe, America and Africa. She works within a growing community of people accessing, participating and learning about Afro-Cuban arts in London and beyond.
At both the original Acosta Danza Academy in Cuba and the new Acosta Dance Centre in the UK, folkloric dance is incorporated to develop dancers’ strength, rhythm, and versatility. Alongside classical ballet training, which often emphasises lightness and verticality, Cuban folkloric movement is deeply connected to the earth, encouraging a sense of dynamic power, coordination and expressiveness in building artistic stage presence. Mastering folkloric dance not only builds technical proficiency but also broadens dancers’ perspectives on movement, reinforcing Acosta’s philosophy of well-rounded training. The high-energy, communal nature of these dances fosters confidence and musicality while adding an element of joy and freedom to the learning process.
Acosta says, “I hope to inspire the next generation to push boundaries in dance training and embrace their potential while celebrating the richness of diverse dance traditions of my country.”
Javier Torres, Managing Director of the Acosta Dance Foundation, says, “The new Easter Camp is a gateway to innovation, resilience and self-expression, offering the best of dance with a sprinkle of Cuban spice.”
Bookings are open now. Visit the website for more information.
