12 May 2025
Thank you to all the schools who entered this year’s Imperial Classical Ballet Awards. We received hundreds of entries, with 630 dancers taking part in the UK and International online heats. 500 of these were adjudicated at the UK finals and 130 were adjudicated at the international finals.
The UK and International heats were adjudicated by a dedicated group of experienced Imperial Classical Ballet examiners, who enjoyed an extremely busy few days watching and marking all the candidates. The work this year was of a very high standard, and we congratulate every teacher who entered and for preparing their candidates for the competition so well; they were a pleasure to mark.
On 25 April, the International finalists and winners were announced on our website and celebrated through a showreel, and we’ve been delighted to observe how the inclusive, hybrid structure of the combined awards has brought our global Imperial Classical Ballet community closer together with entries from Belgium, Canada, China, Guernsey, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa this year.
International winners, teachers and schools
Grade 1 / CE 1 International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Emma Murata | Lisa Johannsen-Sawamura | Lisa Maria British Ballet Arts |
| 2nd | Yuzuri Watanabe | Lisa Johannsen-Sawamura | Lisa Maria British Ballet Arts |
| 3rd | Wu I Lam | Joanne Liew Phei Chen | Arts of Dance Studio |
| Commended | China Masumoto | Hillary Tan | Acts Dance |
Grade 2 / CE 2 International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sara Yesugade | Neha Suhjani | Les Danseuses Academy of Ballet |
| 2nd | Eva Cui | Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
| 2nd | Greyson Carmichael | Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
| 3rd | Honoka Kosaka | Lisa Johannsen-Sawamura | Lisa Maria British Ballet Arts |
| Commended | Tsumugi Matsui | Lisa Johannsen-Sawamura | Lisa Maria British Ballet Arts |
Grade 3 / CE 3 International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Charlotte Kinsey | Leonnie Vidamour, Emma Kimber | Avril Earl Dance and Theatre Arts Centre |
| 2nd | Mavis Ho Si Leng | Liew Phei Chen | Arts of Dance Studio |
| 3rd | Everley Drew | Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
| 3rd | Ana Ojeda | Militzen López Yue | Lomas Studio |
| Commended | Arwen Yu | Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
Grade 4 / CE 4 International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Iris Correia | Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
| 2nd | Alina Regincos | Tess Buck, Elvira Buck | The Classical Ballet School, Girona |
| 2nd | Benedita Verdial | Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
| 3rd | Valeria Leon | Tess Buck, Elvira Buck | The Classical Ballet School, Girona |
| Commended | Cassidy Lok Chi U | Joanne Liew Phei Chen | Arts of Dance Studio |
Grade 5, 6, Inter F / CE 5-8 International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Carolina Santos | Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
| 2nd | Melody Pei Cheih | Joanne Bond | The Joanne Bond School of Classical Ballet |
| 3rd | Maya Naema Bt | Amy Kong Siak Ping | Dancing Time Academy |
| Commended | Alicia Lee Shi Ying | Amy Kong Siak Ping | Dancing Time Academy |
| Commended | Matilde Pimentel | Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
Intermediate International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Stella Pelaez | Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
| 2nd | Kassidy Brooks | Melanie Dance Peck | Pulse Dance Centre |
| 2nd | Tiago Ribeiro | Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
| 3rd | Amandine Samain | Marie-Christine Francotte | Studio Arabesque |
Advanced 1 & 2 International
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Barbara Beleza | Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
| 2nd | Leah Deetlefs | Karen Koen-Jooste | West Coast Dance Academy |
| 3rd | Macaela Eve | Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
| Commended | Berta Llunell | Tess Buck Gili and Elvira Buck | The Classical Ballet School, Girona |
International Winners – Teachers & Schools
| Teacher | School |
|---|---|
| Lisa Johannsen-Sawamura | Lisa Maria British Ballet Arts |
| Joanne Liew Phei Chen | Arts of Dance Studio |
| Hillary Tan | Acts Dance |
| Neha Suhjani | Les Danseuses Academy of Ballet |
| Melanie Dance | Pulse Dance Centre |
| Leonnie Vidamour, Emma Kimber | Avril Earl Dance and Theatre Arts Centre |
| Militzen López Yue | Lomas Studio |
| Teresa Vieira | Centro de Danca do Porto |
| Tess Buck, Elvira Buck | The Classical Ballet School |
| Joanne Bond | The Joanne Bond School of Classical Ballet |
| Amy Kong Siak Ping | Dancing Time Academy |
| Marie-Christine Francotte | Studio Arabesque |
| Karen Koen-Jooste | West Coast Dance Academy |
UK winners, teachers and schools
The UK finals took place at Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham and we were delighted to welcome a mixture of respected faculty and industry experts Corraine Collins, Sarah Kundi and Tyrone Singleton (adjudicators for the morning session) and Gary Avis, Helen Crawford and Vivienne Saxton (adjudicators for afternoon session) We would like to thank them for their practiced eye and experience in selecting the winners.
Grade 1 / CE 1
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Thomas Gell | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| 2nd place | Bethany Gell | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| 2nd place | Isabelle D'Arcy | Georgia D’Arcy | D’Arcy Stage School |
| 3rd place | Naledi Percival | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Musicality | Maizie Ball | Jamie Lee Tuffrey | Jamie Lee Dance Academy |
| Musicality | Bobbi Garrick | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Commendation | Bobbi Garrick | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Commendation | Ava Aikpitanyi | Lorraine Swain, Debbie O'Boyle | Junior Masters Performing Arts |
Grade 2 / CE 2
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Scarlet Cortez | Michele Cheetham | Bella Danza Studios |
| 2nd place | Daisy Hayes | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| 3rd place | Noemi Trask Aneiros | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Musicality | Noemi Trask Aneiros | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Commendation | Isla Griffiths | Lorraine Swain | Junior Masters Performing Arts |
| Commendation | Isla Wheeler | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
Grade 3 / CE 3
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Moraya Kemp | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| 2nd place | Freya Fulford | Heidi Speakman, Gemma Pickess | Dance Projection |
| 3rd place | Olivia Bamber | Nicole Leigh, Lorraine Swain, Debbie O'Boyle | Dance Space Essex |
| Musicality | Freya Fulford | Heidi Speakman, Gemma Pickess | Dance Projection |
| Commendation | Tilly Bell | Rachel Macaree | Prestige School of Dancing |
| Commendation | Emily Walpole | Heidi Speakman & Gemma Pickess | Dance Projection |
Grade 4 / CE 4
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Rafferty Smale | Lorraine Swain, Debbie O'Boyle | Junior Masters Performing Arts |
| 2nd place | Eve Raynor | Nicola Vincent, Lucy Cowdery | Roynon Dance Woolston |
| 3rd place | Oliwia Gomolka | Michele Cheetham | Bella Danza Studios |
| Musicality | Rafferty Smale | Lorraine Swain, Debbie O'Boyle | Junior Masters Performing Arts |
| Commendation | Eva Burt | Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Commendation | Elsie McKinley | Sharon Glennie | June Glennie School of Dance |
Grade 5, 6, Inter Foundation / CE 5-8
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Hiraani Wagner | Sharon Glennie | June Glennie School of Dance |
| 2nd place | Tabitha Evans | Michele Cheetham, Aimee Cheetham | Bella Danza Studios |
| 3rd place | Elizabeth Harris | Michele Cheetham, Aimee Cheetham | Bella Danza Studios |
| Musicality | Hiraani Wagner | Sharon Glennie | June Glennie School of Dance |
| Commendation | Annie Schmidt | Janet Marshall | Janet Marshall Dance Studios |
| Commendation | April Bruggemeyer | Zoe Dawson, Tony Aiken | South London Dance School |
Intermediate
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Eva Reid | Natalie Tough, Celia Johnson | Natalie Tough School of Dance |
| 2nd place | Emily Evans | Suzanne Sharkey | Unleash the Dance |
| 3rd place | Poppy Newdick | Kirsty Wilson | The Kirsty Farrow Dance Academy |
| Musicality | Eva Reid | Natalie Tough, Celia Johnson | Natalie Tough School of Dance |
| Commendation | Ciara Gay | Joanne Bond | Joanne Bond School of Classical Ballet |
Advanced 1 & 2
| Result | Name | Teacher | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Alyssia Power | Keely Power | BMS Performing Arts |
| 2nd place | Rafferty Ebury | Kahli Lewis | Kahli Lewis Dance Company |
| 3rd place | Gabriella Wilson | Rebecca Hood | Expressions Theatre Arts |
| Musicality | Lauren Travers | Sally Brenner, Sue Merrett | Sue Merrett School of Dance |
| Commendation | Ayan Hull-Jurkovic | Lorraine Swain | Junior Masters |
UK finalists teachers and schools
| Teacher(s) | Dance School |
|---|---|
| Bronwen Patching | Adagio School of Dance |
| Chloe Sweeting | Anlaby Studios |
| Diana Clifford, Joanne Wix | ACS Dance Centre |
| Michele Cheetham, Aimee Cheetham | Bella Danza Studios |
| Keely Power | BMS Performing Arts |
| Alison Cronin & Jessica Stokes | Clonmel Dance Centre |
| Sophie-Jayne Unwin | Cora Theatre Arts |
| Georgia D’Arcy | D’Arcy Stage School |
| Heidi Speakman, Gemma Pickess | Dance Projection |
| Nicole Leigh, Debbie O’Boyle, Lorraine Swain | Dance Space Essex |
| Eleanor Bechthold | El Dance Studios |
| Felicity Stewart, Angela Humphreys | Elizabeth Fenton School of Dancing |
| Rebecca Hood | Expressions Theatre Arts |
| Emi Suzuki | Funky Feet School of Dance and Performing Arts |
| Jamie Lee Tuffrey | Jamie Lee Dance Academy |
| Jenna Miles, Lauren Smith, Emma Preece, Janet Marshall | Janet Marshall Dance Studios |
| Joanne Bond | Joanne Bond School of Classical Ballet |
| Sharon Glennie | June Glennie School of Dance |
| Deborah O’Boyle, Lorraine Swain, Wendy Headford | Junior Masters Performing Arts |
| Kahli Lewis | Kahli Lewis Dance Company |
| Kelly Sheen | Kelly Sheen School of Dance |
| Kirsten Swift | Kirsten’s Dance Academy |
| Abigail Leonard, Loraine Swain | Leonard Dance Academy |
| Cheryl Heuston | Marlborough Academy of Dance and Drama |
| Natalie Tough | Natalie Tough School of Dance |
| Rachel Macaree | Prestige School of Dancing |
| Rebecca Ward | Rebekah’s Dance School |
| Nicola Vincent, Lucy Cowdery | Roynon Dance Woolston |
| Sarah Munday, Lucy Cowdery | Roynon Performing Arts |
| Sarah Royle, Vicky O’Brein | Sarah Royle School of Dance |
| Zoe Dawson, Tony Aiken | South London Dance School |
| Sally Brenner | Sue Merrett School of Dance |
| Susan Taylor, Kate Wolstencroft | Susan Taylor Dance Academy |
| Sarah Hamilton-Gill, Tiki Elliot | Swindon Academy of Dance |
| Felicity Stewart, Angela Humphreys | The Elizabeth Fenton School of Dancing |
| Kirsty Wilson | The Kirsty Farrow Dance Academy |
| Julie McKenna | Top Hat Theatre School |
| Suzanne Sharkey | Unleash the Dance |
Sincere congratulations go to all the UK and International finalists, who should be extremely proud of their achievement against such strong competition; and of course, many congratulations to the deserving winners and their teachers.
Thank you to our sponsors
We are extremely grateful to Dansez for sponsoring the event with generous prizes for 1st placed UK and International winners.
Grade 1 £50
Grade 2 £75
Grade 3 £100
Grade 4 £125
Grade 5, 6 & Intermediate Foundation £150
Intermediate £175
Advanced 1 & 2 £200
Many thanks to all our wonderful class teachers who conducted the classes so beautifully and to all our wonderful helpers for ensuring the day ran smoothly. Special thanks go to our wonderful Imperial Classical Ballet committee for their continued support and knowledge. We would also like to thank Elmhurst Ballet school for looking after us so well and for donating a summer course scholarship which was awarded to Rafferty Smale – Lorraine Swain and Debbie O’Boyle – Junior Masters Performing Arts.
Hudson Photography
