On December 1st, 2021, the John Cranko School will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a gala in the Opera House. Founded by John Cranko in 1971, the John Cranko School, official school of the Stuttgart Ballet, and currently under the direction of Tadeusz Matacz, is one of the most important training centers for ballet, both nationally and internationally. Graduates of the John Cranko School can be found in impressive numbers as directors, dancers, choreographers and teachers in leading international ballet companies. The dream of John Cranko to provide the Stuttgart Ballet with world class dancers based on a comprehensive education from creative movement at age 6 to fully trained pre-professional dancers at age 18, has come to fruition. Almost two-thirds of today's Stuttgart Ballet dancers are former students of the John Cranko School. Among the most prominent graduates in the company are Principal Dancers Alicia Amatriain, Anna Osadcenko, Rocio Aleman, Adhonay Soares da Silva and Martí Fernández Paixà.
In September 2020, a spectacular new building for the John Cranko School was officially opened. The spacious, light-filled studios offer ample room for high jumps and creative work. The Reid Anderson rehearsal stage is also a great asset for the company. Here, rehearsals can be held one-to-one as on the stage of the opera house, thanks to the identical dimensions and technically advanced equipment.
The anniversary gala will take place on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021, exactly 50 years after the inauguration of the old school building and will celebrate the anniversary with a diverse program. Students from the John Cranko School will dance works by John Cranko, Uwe Scholz, Auguste Bournonville, Leonid Lavrovsky, Mikhail Fokine, Stephen Shropshire and Demis Volpi, among others. Student Alice McArthur will present her own choreography. Graduates of the school currently dancing with the Stuttgart Ballet will also participate, performing works by Marco Goecke, Sir Kenneth MacMillan and John Cranko, among others.
Last but not least: dancer/choreographer of the Stuttgart Ballet Alessandro Giaquinto has created a new work for the students of the John Cranko School especially for this occasion. Set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach and Nora Winstone, Giaquinto’s Drifting Bones will celebrate its world premiere at the anniversary gala.
In September 2020, a spectacular new building for the John Cranko School was officially opened. The spacious, light-filled studios offer ample room for high jumps and creative work. The Reid Anderson rehearsal stage is also a great asset for the company. Here, rehearsals can be held one-to-one as on the stage of the opera house, thanks to the identical dimensions and technically advanced equipment.
The anniversary gala will take place on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021, exactly 50 years after the inauguration of the old school building and will celebrate the anniversary with a diverse program. Students from the John Cranko School will dance works by John Cranko, Uwe Scholz, Auguste Bournonville, Leonid Lavrovsky, Mikhail Fokine, Stephen Shropshire and Demis Volpi, among others. Student Alice McArthur will present her own choreography. Graduates of the school currently dancing with the Stuttgart Ballet will also participate, performing works by Marco Goecke, Sir Kenneth MacMillan and John Cranko, among others.
Last but not least: dancer/choreographer of the Stuttgart Ballet Alessandro Giaquinto has created a new work for the students of the John Cranko School especially for this occasion. Set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach and Nora Winstone, Giaquinto’s Drifting Bones will celebrate its world premiere at the anniversary gala.
