“To all hopeful
young artists who cannot imagine a life away from the stage and the rehearsal
studios, we bid a warm welcome. May the
Princess Grace Academy and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo be for them a place of
sharing, where they can forge memories of a happy youth dedicated to the
learning and practice of dance”. Luca Masala, Artistic
Director of the Princess Grace Academy
The “Casa Mia”,
a magnificent Belle époque style villa, was acquired by the Prince’s Government
in 1975, on the wishes of the Princely Couple who wanted to create a
prestigious professional training school where Marika Besobrasova could pass on
her knowledge to students. Many personalities from the world of classical dance
came to work there regularly, including Rudolf Nureyev, Eva Evdokimova, Marcia
Haydée, and Yoko Morishita.
In 2009,
H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover, at the
suggestion of Jean-Christophe Maillot, Choreographer and Director of Les
Ballets de Monte-Carlo, appointed Luca Masala as Artistic Director of the
Princess Grace Academy. The aim is to
bring the Academy, the Compagnie des Ballets de Monte-Carlo and the Monaco Dance
Forum closer together, to accentuate the pre-professional aspect of the
students’ education. Now, students aged between 13 and 18 from a variety of
countries are able to familiarise themselves with the world of professional
dance, meet prominent artists and enjoy a central place at the heart of the
major cultural events in Monaco. It offers the students the chance to give
real, practical meaning to their dreams.
The multi-disciplinary teaching includes dance
classes, artistic education and traditional school lessons, suitably adapted
for the different nationalities present. It is a considerable task, and to
achieve it the Academy has put together a teaching staff made up of instructors
and artists with international experience. The Princess Grace Academy enjoys a
strong reputation for the quality of its teaching, and has established
partnerships with prestigious institutions such as the Prix de Lausanne, where
some of its students have shone. At the school itself, the students learn to
become not just accomplished dancers, but well-rounded, cultured and
inquisitive people.