We are delighted to be holding this annual faculty competition for students of ISTD Cecchetti member teachers at Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham on Sunday 2 November 2025. The awards commemorate Mabel Ryan, a much loved and respected Cecchetti ballet teacher who was herself a pupil of Enrico Cecchetti. As a teacher she ran her London school in partnership with Margaret Craske.  

Competitors will come together to perform set and unset work in front of highly experienced and respected industry adjudicators. The competition is divided into Lower Junior, Junior, Middle and Senior categories, with winners and runners-up awarded in each category. The Vacani award is also awarded in each category and celebrates the joy of dance within the Cecchetti method. Family, friends and fellow competitors are welcome to purchase audience tickets to support the young dancers. 

This event is proudly sponsored by  Dansez – supporting ISTD dancers through high-performance, planet-friendly examination dancewear.

ISTD members receive an exclusive 20% discount off of the range – access the discount code in the ISTD member’s area.

We are also delighted to announce that Elmhurst Ballet School have offered one full scholarship for their Junior Summer Intensive course, to take place in August 2026.

All ages and grade attainment are taken as 1 September 2025.

Lower Junior Award

• Maximum age 12 years.
• The competitor must have passed Standard 2, Grade 2,Standard 3 or Grade 3 (but no higher) in the Cecchetti Method with a minimum mark of 70%.
• A competitor who has won the Lower Junior Award may not enter again. 

Junior Award

• Maximum age 13 years.
• The competitor must have passed Standard 4 or Grade 4 in the Cecchetti Method.
• A competitor who has won the Junior Award may not enter again.

Middle Award

• Maximum age 14 years.
• The competitor must have passed Standard 5 or Grade 5 in the Cecchetti Method.
• A competitor who has won the Middle Award may not enter again.

Senior Award

•  Maximum age 17 years.
• The competitor must have passed Standard 6 or Grade 6 in the Cecchetti Method. The work will be set and judged at Intermediate level.
• Candidates have a choice of which pathway they follow - refer to confirmation email which will be sent automatically on receipt of your entry.
• A competitor who has won the Senior Award may not enter again.

Teachers Pack - Set work, dances and music

A free, teachers pack is available to view from 29 July containing the work to be presented at the event ahead of competitor entries opening on 19 August- please view here.

Teachers pack includes:

• Set work notes
• Set dance videos

The full teachers pack is available to download once a competitor entry has been purchased after 19 August.

Uniform guidelines

Either:

Lower Junior and Junior awards: a plain, tank style, leotard of the candidates choice (sleeveless, no cross straps, no patterned or lacy fabric or sparkling adornments).
Middle and Senior awards: a plain leotard of the candidates choice (sleeveless, no cross straps, no patterned or lacy fabric or sparkling adornments).
Ballet tights and shoes in skin tone or pink.
Ballet tights and shoe colour should match.
Ballet shoes must have elastics not ribbons.
Long hair should be neatly dressed for ballet with no ribbons or adornments of any sort.
Short hair should be suitably dressed for ballet, away from the face, with optional use of plain hair band, the same colour as the leotard.

Or:

All awards: A plain leotard of the candidates choice.
Plain ballet tights in a dark colour e.g. black, navy, burgundy etc.
Black or white socks with black or white ballet shoes.
Hair should be neatly dressed for ballet, and long hair tied back.
All:

No jewellery or body ornaments are permitted for any award.
Makeup is not permitted in the Lower Junior or Junior awards.
Where possible, a coloured leotard is preferred as opposed to black or white.
Please note that nothing must be added to the feet to enhance the shape and size of the instep.

Scholars Prize 

We are delighted to announce that the Artistic Director of the prestigious Cecchetti Scholars programme, Gillian Toogood has accepted our invitation to attend and observe the Lower Junior, Junior and Middle sections of the Mabel Ryan competition.  Miss Toogood will be awarding, at her discretion, the following:

1. Direct Entry Award:  This award would entitle the recipient a coveted place to commence training with the Scholars in September 2025, without the need to take part in the regular audition process.  The Scholars scheme provides the highest quality weekend tuition to selected candidates, which augment a students’ regular training programme. 

Scholarship places are funded by the Cecchetti Society Trust and are available for talented young dancers currently studying with a registered ISTD Cecchetti teacher (working Grade 4 or Standard 5 level). This exceptional training scheme includes weekly classes in Body Conditioning, Limbering, Pointe Work, Repertoire, and more. It is designed to complement the student’s regular classes.

2. Free of Charge Audition Award: This award would entitle the recipient to attend the Scholars audition in the Spring/Summer of 2026 with a waiver of the regular audition fee.

Elmhurst Tuition Scholarship 

We are thrilled that Elmhurst Ballet School has generously offered one full scholarship for their Junior Summer Intensive course, to take place in August 2026. 

This will be given at the discretion of the adjudicators, and may be announced in the weeks following the event as opposed to on the day.

More details to follow.

Tickets

All entries must purchase a Competitor entry ticket.

Competitor ticket - Lower Junior category - £36.00
Competitor ticket - Junior category - £36.00
Competitor ticket - Middle category - £36.00
Competitor ticket - Senior category - £36.00

Competitor entries Open - Tuesday 19 August 2025

Competitor entries Close - Thursday 25 September 2025 *Entries may close before this date if we reach capacity for the awards. Early booking is advised.

Use code EARLYBIRD for 20% off competitor entries until Monday 8 September. Subject to capacity, not valid on audience tickets. 

Audience Tickets

Audience tickets are available to purchase per category or for all categories, allowing access to the whole day. Tickets will be issued in the form of wristbands which can be collected on the day. We highly recommend buying audience tickets in advance.

Audience ticket - Lower Junior category only - £17.00
Audience ticket - Junior category only- £17.00
Audience ticket - Middle category only - £17.00
Audience ticket - Senior category only - £17.00
Audience ticket - All day - £47.00

1 free, teacher audience ticket available per school, per category. Further information on how to claim this will be available to teachers after the purchase of an entry.

T-shirts

We are delighted to have bespoke Mabel Ryan 2025 t-shirts available! Please add to your cart when booking your tickets and pick up from the event. 

Child T-Shirt - £15.00. Available in the following sizes:

• Youth Medium - (ages 7-8, chest 30)
• Youth Large - (ages 9-11, chest 32)
• Youth Extra - Large (ages 12-13, chest 34) 

Adult T-shirt - £18.50. Available in the following sizes:

• Small - (chest 34-36)
• Medium - (chest 38)
• Large - (chest 40-42)
• Extra Large - (chest 44-46)

Order yours by 15 October!

Terms & Conditions

• Competitors must be studying with an ISTD Cecchetti member and must be entered by the Principal of that School.
• Competitors currently attending full-time vocational schools may not enter for the Mabel Ryan Awards.
• Competitors holding a higher examination than that stated as necessary for the Junior, Middle and Senior Mabel Ryan Awards are not debarred entry for that reason.
• The Official Pianist will play for the dances in all the Awards.
• All entries to be submitted by the teacher and not by the parents/guardian. Receipt for acknowledgment of entry will be emailed to the teacher by way of an automatic confirmation email and not to the parent.
• Teachers and competitors shall agree to abide by ALL the rules laid down for the Competition and shall accept the Adjudicator's decision as final. No individual feedback will be given.
• Anyone competing in this event does so at their own risk and parents/carers will be asked to confirm their child is fit to participate. The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing will not accept any responsibility for any injury.
• Principals & Teachers – Please ensure all teachers involved in preparing pupils for the competition, are fully aware of and understand the competition rules. The integrity of the teacher is relied upon to ensure that the rules are followed by all participants to enable the smooth running of the event.
• Set work and dances are the property of the ISTD and must not be used, copied or replicated for any other use.
• We regret that, once purchased, tickets for both competitors and audience members are non-refundable.
• Upon submission of your application on your competitor’s behalf you are agreeing to the criteria set above and that you agree to adhere to Terms & Conditions.

The competition relies on a certain number of entries being received. If insufficient entries are received the competition may not be viable and in this case entry fees will be returned. Competitors must be made aware of this in advance. If the competition cannot take place teachers will be advised by email as soon as possible. In this case, competition fees will be refunded to teachers to return to their pupils.