Nicola Tarry Classical Ballet Training
Nurturing Excellence
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Pre-Vocational Training
Mids and Seniors:
Mids Age 7 to 12 years inclusive
Seniors Age 13 years and up
After School and Saturdays
Vocational Training
Day-time Weekday Dance-Tuition
In a small class with individual attention
Works Alongside Dancers’ Own Home-Schooling
Dancers come in from home or recommended home-stay
From School Years 8 to 13 inclusive
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For external and Nicola Tarry dancers alike:
Nicola Tarry Holiday Intensives
and
Nicola Tarry Sunday Workshops
2 Sundays a month
Signed up to individually.
Nicola Tarry Classical Ballet Training offers two holistic dance programmes comprising excellent classical ballet and contemporary dance training to enable dancers to reach their potential, and find their place at a vocational dance school or in a dance career.
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She also offers additional classical ballet-training, for external and Nicola Tarry dancers, by way of Sunday Workshops and Holiday Intensives.
Nicola Tarry (the Principal and Founder) is a highly-regarded classical ballet teacher with an extensive background in classical ballet and in teaching.
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As well as guiding students to develop excellent ballet-technique, with strength, stamina, alignment, good posture, turn-out and feet-articulation, Nicola encourages a love of dance and performance, of creativity and improvisation.
The Nicola Tarry community is mostly made up of students aiming to pursue vocational training at some stage (whether hers or elsewhere) and/or to pursue a career in dance.
In 2017 Nicola launched her own dance school. Since then, Nicola has helped many dancers to achieve their goal of going to vocational schools such as The Royal Ballet School, White Lodge, Canada's National Ballet School, The European School of Ballet, The English National School, Rambert, Kings International, Central, Elmhurst, and Tring.
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Nicola has also helped dancers to achieve placements in Summer Schools such as The Royal Ballet School, Princess Grace, John Cranko, Masters Arizona, English National Ballet, Rambert, Canada National Ballet School and European Ballet School.
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Nicola set up the Vocational side of the school in September 2023, and already it has achieved great results and a community of flourishing dancers.
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Nicola provides an environment where every dancer matters, and where their individual needs are met.
Nicola recognises that every dancer has their own path.
She supports their progress and enables them to achieve their potential.
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Nicola Tarry offers classical ballet and contemporary training in a number of ways.
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Pre-Vocational Training
Mids and Seniors
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Pre-Vocational Training (Mids and Seniors) offers a 10-hour training programme in after-school hours and on Saturdays. This is a holistic program designed at developing a classical dancer as a whole. It focuses on classical ballet technique and body-conditioning, and incorporates creative, performance, contemporary and modern.
Classes are split between Mids (School Years 7 and under) and Seniors (Years 8 and above).
It is intended that dancers follow the programme as a whole in order to get the most out of it.
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Classical ballet is taught under the guidance of Nicola Tarry.
Contemporary dance (for Seniors) is taught by Emily Adams, and is important because vocational schools incorporate contemporary dance into auditions at a Seniors stage.
Modern dance is taught by Karen King and Jess North, and the aim here is for the dancer's classical dance to benefit from the power and strength that Modern dance requires.
All are highly experienced teachers with a passion for teaching.
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Pre-Vocational Programme Results
Nicola has an excellent record of Year 7 White Lodge offers: 12 such offers in total over six years of applications.
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Pre-vocational Programme ResultS for 2025 entry:
The 2025 results so far are as follow:
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Three x Year 7 White Lodge offers.
Two x Year 7 Elmhurst Ballet School offers
Three x Year 7 funded Tring Park offers.
One Year 9 Tring Park offer with the prestigious Eve Pettinger award.
One Year 10 Tring Park offer.
One Year 12 funded Tring Park offer
Two x Year 12 Acosta Dance offers.
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Some dancers also choose to continue on the pre-vocational programme or to enter the Nicola Tarry Vocational programme. It is always about what is right for the individual dancer.
Vocational Training
​​Vocational Training offers 20-hours of weekday daytime vocational dance-training (Tuesday to Friday) to work alongside a dancer's own academic home-schooling. It covers dance-tuition only.
The training is in a small class with individual corrections and attention, and runs from School Years 8 to 13 (inclusive).
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Dancers come in daily from home or from a recommended home-stay, and Nicola currently has dancers from London, Eastbourne and Cornwall on the vocational programme.
This is a 20-hour per week holistic dance programme, which focuses on classical ballet technique and body-conditioning, together with performance, creative, improvisation, contemporary and modern.
It is a holistic program, and challenges each individual dancer.
It is designed to enable every dancer to achieve their potential.
Vocational training comprises Nicola Tarry teaching ballet with Victoria Hewitt (former Royal Ballet soloist) as a regular ballet teacher. Contemporary is taught by Emily Adams, and Karen King teaches modern.
Vocation training also includes teaching from guest-teachers who are world-class dance experts.
For example, Jenny Tattersall (teaching twice-weekly for the Summer 2024 term, and once weekly for the first half of Spring Term 2025), Sarah Wildor and Sian Murphy have also visited recently.
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Vocationals will take part in external classes together and workshops. Recent outings have been to the Acosta Centre and to Jasmin Vardimon.
Dancers are encouraged to take up associate programme places, and to attend international summer schools and competitions.
Nicola Tarry supports YAGP entries and auditions. ​
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Vocational Programme Results for 2025
One Year 12 English National Ballet School offer
One 18+ Rambert offer
Five Tring Park offers, including one funded and one bursary
Three x Boston Ballet School Year 12 offers
One Ballet Met Year 12 offer
One Ballet West Year 12 offer
One Italia Conti Year 12 offer
Multiple Acosta Dance 16+ offers
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Some dancers also decide to continue into the Nicola Tarry Vocational Upper School. In every case, Nicola is looking to find what works best for that particular dancer for them to achieve a career in dance. It is all about the individual and what works best for them.
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Both Programmes
Audition Support
On both the pre-vocational and vocational programmes, the school supports vocational dance-school auditions, helping the students through the process.
End-of-Year Show
Nicola offers an end-of-year show on alternate years for pre-vocational and vocational together. The 2025 show will be held at the Lilian Baylis studio, Sadlers Wells. The intention is that the students learn how to be a part of a show, to work on rehearsing, learning and developing choreography, putting their technique into practice, to work on artistry, performance, teamwork and work on spatial awareness.
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Ethos
Nicola is determined to do the best possible for her dancers, and believes always in providing a positive environment to work in, and encourages dancers to champion and support one another.
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Nicola Tarry Sunday Workshops and Holiday Intensives
Nicola provides classical ballet Sunday Workshops and Holiday Intensives for Nicola Tarry and external dancers alike. In each case, they provide valuable additional training.
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Holiday Intensives
Nicola Tarry intensives are taught by Nicola herself.
They are open to outside students as well as the Nicola Tarry dancers.
Sunday Workshops
Two Sunday classes per month.
Open to outside students as well as Nicola Tarry dancers.
In every case, Nicola Tarry provides quality training in an environment that loves dance.
Enquire now at info@nicolatarryclassicalballettraining.co.uk
Our Principal
Nicola Tarry
Principal
Nicola was born in Dartford; she trained for many years as an elite gymnast and discovered a love of ballet at the age of 13.
At age 16 Nicola joined The Royal Ballet School; she then trained there until her graduation.
Professionally, Nicola danced with The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet; she also toured extensively throughout Europe with Wiener Ballet Theatre.
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As life progressed, Nicola discovered a passion for teaching, and worked her way to become Head of Dance at The Centre Performing Arts College. Under her guidance, The Centre PAC students were extremely successful, and many have gone on to have incredible careers in all aspects of theatre.
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Given her background in (and passion for) both ballet and teaching, it was only a matter of time (2017) before Nicola opened her own dance school aimed at helping aspiring classical dancers to achieve their aim.
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Students have travelled from the USA and Japan to be taught by Nicola and to experience her approach to coaching young aspiring dancers.
Many students who have trained with Nicola are now in leading vocational dance-schools.
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Nicola takes an individual approach to her students. She takes the time to understand who they are and how they work, and she genuinely wants the best for each and every student.
Our Patron
Edward Watson MBE
Our Patron, Edward Watson MBE
Edward Watson MBE
Edward Watson MBE is a phenomenal dancer, who trained at The Royal Ballet School, before graduating into The Royal Ballet in 1994. In 2005, Edward was promoted to Principal at The Royal Ballet, a position which he held for 15 years. In 2020, he joined the school's team of coaches as a Repetiteur.
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Edward is a huge inspiration to so many dancers. He has the ability to take on a character and to convey in full the inner workings of their mind and soul through dance. He gives himself totally to the character and is unafraid in so-doing. He has displayed great versatility throughout his dance career, taking on the choreography of greats throughout the ages, such as Sir Kenneth Macmillan, Sir Frederick Ashton, Wayne McGregor CBE, Christopher Wheeldon and Arthur Pita. He gives dancers the courage to challenge themselves and to push the boundaries of dance.
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We are enormously honoured to have Edward Watson MBE as our patron.
Pre-Vocational Training
Mids and Seniors
Nicola Tarry offers two class groups:
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Mids: age 7 years to 12 years inclusive, and
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Seniors: age 13 years plus.
The entry process for each group involves a trial class at Nicola Tarry.
Places are limited.
Mids
For ages 7 years to 12 years inclusive.
Mondays and Wednesdays 5pm until 8pm, and Saturdays 10am until 1.30pm during term-time.
Nicola has developed a holistic program based on the fundamentals of ballet, with a focus on posture, turn-out, correct alignment, articulation of feet, and strength in the abdominals, glutes and back.
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The classes are key to ensuring that students are prepared to enter vocational schools aged 11 or 12, and there is an emphasis on nurturing young talent.
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Strengthening and conditioning the correct muscles allows classical training to begin. All aspects of class are taught developing adage, pirouettes and allegro. Pointe-work is introduced slowly and carefully.
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Discipline is key but is developed in a nurturing and lively way. There are also elements of creativity and acting; with the classes designed to inspire and nurture a real love of dance and performance.
Seniors
For ages 13 years plus
In Seniors, contemporary dance is introduced to the program.
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The world of ballet has changed dramatically, and students need to discover different ways of moving.
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The Seniors ballet classes have more focus on extensions and on picking up choreography quickly; all while continuing to use correct alignment and to progress the students' technique. The classes are much more intense: so that students develop stamina.
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The students learn a vast vocabulary of steps, and are expected to be highly disciplined and self-motivated in order to achieve a place at a vocational dance school either in year 10 or year 12.
Extra Mondays
Seniors can join Monday ballet class from 5pm to 8pm for extra ballet and body-conditioning. This is an optional extra.
An optional extra
Mids and Seniors Term-Dates
Provisionally 2024-2025
Term-Dates are as follow but are subject to change at the discretion of the Principal:
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Provisional dates for 2024-2025
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Winter Term 2024: Key Dates
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Monday 9 September 2024: term starts.​
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Monday 21 October 2024 to Saturday 2 November 2024 (inclusive): no dance, half-term.
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Friday 6 December 2024: last day of term.
Spring Term 2025: Key Dates
Monday 6 January 2025: term starts
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Saturday 25 January 2025: no dance class but Miss King is available to Nicola Tarry students for privates
Saturday 15 February 2025 to Sunday 23 February 2025 (inclusive): possible dates for RTWDF (Royal Tunbridge Wells Dance Festival). There will be rehearsals and festival attendance but no normal lessons and, for the purposes of payments and/or notice, this week counts as half-term.
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Saturday 22 February 2025: group rehearsals
Monday 24 February 2025: no dance
Tuesday 25 February 2025: no dance
Friday 4 April 2025: last day of term, and tickets go on sale for Summer show.
(Note: Easter Sunday 20 April 2025)
Summer Term 2025: Key Dates
Tuesday 22 April 2025: term starts
Monday 5 May 2025: no dance (Bank Holiday)
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Tuesday 6 May 2025: Mids join Seniors for class from 5pm until 8pm.
Saturday 24 May 2025 to Sunday 1 June 2025 (inclusive): no dance, half-term.
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Saturday 5 July 2025: Mids and Seniors all 10am til 4pm at the studio. Bring packed lunch (no nuts).
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Sunday 6 July 2025: Nicola Tarry Summer Show, "SHOWCASE", at the Lilian Baylis studio, Sadlers Wells
Rehearsals at Sadlers Wells timing TBC.
Show 6pm til 8.30pm
Thursday 10 July 2025: last day of term for pre-vcoationals.
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Mids and Seniors Notice
Half-A-Term’s Notice Required
Half-a-term’s notice must be given and paid for if lessons are to be discontinued.
Lessons missed by dancers will not be deducted from the bill.
Mids and Seniors Registration Fee
£240 (inclusive of VAT)
A non-refundable registration fee of £240 (inclusive of VAT) is required to secure a place. This will be used as credit against the first fees payment.
Mids and Seniors Uniform
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Mids:
Nicola Tarry tracksuit top from Planet Dance.
Wear Moi Galate leotard in Sky.
Convertible tights.
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Seniors:
Nicola Tarry tracksuit top direct from Nicola (please email).
Nicola Tarry hoodie (optional) direct from Nicola (please email).
Wear Moi Galate leotard in Navy.
Convertible tights.
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The uniform is stocked by Planet Dance, and there is a discount for Nicola Tarry students (please ask Admin for the discount code).
Vocational Training
The 20-Hour Program
School Years 8 to and including 13.
The entry process is via trial class with the current Vocationals at Nicola Tarry.
Places are limited.
Vocationals Class-Times
Class-Times from September 2024
From September 2024, class-times will be as follow. They are broadly the same for now.
Dance-tuition as follows:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12.30pm til 4pm
Thursdays 9am til 5pm
Fridays 9am til 4pm
during term-time.
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On half-days, dancers are encouraged to arrive early (from 12 noon) to eat their packed lunches together.
Vocationals Ethos
A thorough and challenging vocational training to work alongside dancers’ own home-schooling.
Small classes with individual attention to develop every dancer's potential.
A holistic and challenging 20-hour program with small classes and individual attention, and access to world-renowned guest teachers. Designed to bring out the best in each and every dancer.
Dance tuition takes place in the day-time on weekdays, and works alongside dancers’ own home-schooling.
Dancers come in from home or recommended home-stay.
Classical ballet, body-conditioning, stamina and performance is the focus, but there is work too in contemporary dance, modern, creative and improvisation.
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Nicola takes the time to really find what works for each individual dancer, in order to give them the best possible chance of a dance career.
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The dancers are expected to be driven, highly disciplined and self-motivated in order to gain a place at a vocational dance school either in year 10 or year 12, and/or to pursue a dance career.
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Nicola can recommend an independent home-schooling room, which is open 9am til 12 noon on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, where Nicola Tarry dancers can home-study together within walking distance of the studio. Please ask Admin for details.
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Nicola can also recommend home-stays where necessary.
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Vocationals Registration Fee
£480 (inclusive of VAT)
A non-refundable registration fee of £480 (inclusive of VAT) is required to secure a place. This will be used as credit against the first fees payment.
Vocationals Term-Dates
2024-2025
Term-Dates are as follow but are subject to change at the discretion of the Principal:
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Provisional dates for 2024-2025
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Winter Term 2024: Key Dates
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Tuesday 10 September 2024: term starts.​
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Tuesday 22 October 2024 to Saturday 2 November 2024 (inclusive): no dance, half-term.
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Friday 6 December 2024: last day of term.
Spring Term 2025: Key Dates
Tuesday 7 January 2025: term starts
Saturday 15 February 2025 to Tuesday 25 February 2025 (inclusive): half-term, no dance.
Vocationals will take part in RTWDF (Royal Tunbridge Wells Dance Festival). There will be rehearsals and festival attendance but no normal lessons and, for the purposes of payments and/or notice, this week counts as half-term.
Friday 4 April 2025: last day of term, and tickets go on sale for the Summer Show.
(Note: Easter Sunday 20 April 2025)
Summer Term 2025: Key Dates
Tuesday 22 April 2025: term starts
Saturday 24 May 2025 to Monday 2 June 2025 (inclusive): no dance, half-term.
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Saturday 5 July 2025 10am til 4pm at the studio with pre-vocationals.
Please bring a packed lunch (no nuts)
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Sunday 6 July 2025: Nicola Tarry Summer Show, "SHOWCASE" at the Lilian Baylis studio, Sadlers Wells
Rehearsals at Sadlers Well. Timing TBC.
Show 6pm til 8.30pm
Friday 11 July 2025: last day of term.
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Vocationals Notice
One Full Term’s Notice Required
One full term’s notice must be given and paid for if lessons are to be discontinued.
Lessons missed by dancers will not be deducted from the bill.
Vocationals Uniform
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Nicola Tarry tracksuit top direct from Nicola, please email.
Nicola Tarry hoodie (optional) available from Nicola, please email.
Wear Moi Galate in Burgundy, for everyday wear.
Wear Moi Candide leotard in Burgundy, for guest-teacher visits.
Convertible tights.
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Stocked by the Planet Dance website, Nicola Tarry students have a discount (please ask Admin for the discount code).
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Nicola Tarry Sunday Workshops
Twice-Monthly Term-Time Sunday Classes
A challenging classical ballet class two Sundays a month.
For external students as well as Nicola Tarry dancers.
Nicola Tarry and Victoria Hewitt Sunday classes.
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Two Sundays a month taught by either Nicola Tarry or Victoria Hewitt (former Royal Ballet soloist).
Classical ballet technique to top-up your dance-training.
Small classes and with individual attention and corrections.
Mids: School years 3 to 7
Seniors: School Years 8 and above.
Sessions are signed-up to individually.
They are for Nicola Tarry students and external dancers.
Senior Sessions are from 10am til 12.30pm and cost £60 per session.
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Mids sessions are from 1pm til 3pm and are £48 per session.
Please email info@nicolatarryclassicalballettraining.co.uk
Spring Term 2025
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Dancers can sign up to individual sessions
£60 Seniors, 10am til 12.30pm
£48 Juniors, 1pm til 3pm
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SPRING TERM 2025
6 April 2025 Nicola Tarry
27 April 2025 Victoria Hewitt
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SUMMER TERM 2025
4 May 2025 Nicola Tarry
18 May 2025 Nicola Tarry
1 June 2025 Nicola Tarry
22 June 2025 Nicola Tarry
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INTENSIVES
NICOLA TARRY INTENSIVES
Nicola Tarry intensives are held in high regard.
Nicola teaches small classes which focus on classical ballet technique, body-conditioning and performance.
Dancers are treated as individuals, with individual corrections and feedback.
Dancers return time-and-again for these intensive workshops, and they tend to sell out quickly.
NICOLA TARRY INTENSIVES 2024-2025
The Spring 2025 Intensive
Monday 14 April to Wednesday 16 April 2025 inclusive, 10am til 4pm daily
School Years 6 and above
Taught by Nicola herself, a small class focussing on body-conditioning, classical ballet technique and performance. With individual corrections and feedback.
£354 in total (inclusive of VAT). £177 deposit to secure a place, remaining £177 on or before 1 April 2025.
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The Summer 2025 Intensives
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Younger Intensives:
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School Years 3 to 5 inclusive
Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 July, 10am til 3pm daily
with a watching-hour for parents/grandparents from 3pm til 4pm on 29 July
£240 (inclusive of VAT) for the two days.
£120 deposit to secure a place, remaining £120 on or before 1 July 2025.
School years 5 to 8 inclusive
Wednesday 30 July to Friday 1 August 2025 inclusive, 10am til 4pm daily
Taught by Nicola herself, a small class focussing on body-conditioning, classical ballet technique and performance. With individual corrections and feedback.
£354 (inclusive of VAT) for three days.
£177 deposit to secure a place, remaining £177 on or before 1 July 2025.
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School Years 6 and above
Tuesday 26 August to Thursday is 28 August 2025 inclusive 10am til 4pm daily
Taught by Nicola herself, a small class focussing on body-conditioning, classical ballet technique and performance. With individual corrections and feedback.
£354 in total (inclusive of VAT). £177 deposit to secure a place, remaining £177 on or before 1 August 2025.
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School Years 6 and above
Friday 29 August to Sunday 31 August 2025 inclusive 10am til 4pm daily
Taught by Nicola herself, a small class focussing on body-conditioning, classical ballet technique and performance. With individual corrections and feedback.
£354 in total (inclusive of VAT). £177 deposit to secure a place, remaining £177 on or before 1 August 2025.
It is £690 inclusive of VAT if the two latter intensives are taken together.
Please email info@nicolatarryclassicalballettraining.co.uk for bookings and enquiries.
Location
Classes take place at The Old School, School Lane, West Kingsdown TN15 6JN
​​Instagram
Mids and Seniors @balletwithnicolatarry
Vocationals @nicolatarryelite​
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For all enquiries and/or bookings, please contact us on
Address:
The Old School, School Lane, West Kingsdown, TN15 6JN. UK
Email: