A 19-year-old ballerina from Bishop’s Stortford has embarked on a UK tour which is seen as a stepping stone to becoming a professional ballet dancer.
Jessica Ward, who has danced since she was four, is part of a 32-strong cast with the Ballet Central company which is halfway through its 10-date tour.
The programme showcases the talents of London’s world-renowned Central School of Ballet graduating class of 2024, billed as “the future stars of dance”.
Jessica was a member of English Youth Ballet and made her debut aged just 10 in a production of Sleeping Beauty. She successfully auditioned for Ballet Central during Covid.
Ballet Central was created in 1984 as the touring company of the Central School of Ballet to give its graduates the opportunity of performing professionally to ticket-buying audiences. It visits cities and towns across the UK every spring and summer, performing in mid-sized theatres.
This year’s tour combines classical ballet, in the form of a version of Coppélia by Adela Ramirez, with contemporary dance from Daniel Davidson and new commissions by Jules Cunningham and Carolyn Bolton. The mixed repertoire has been chosen by Kate Coyne, the ballet school’s artistic director. The tour started at the Lilian Baylis Studio in Sadler’s Wells on May 10 and concludes at the Britten Theatre in London on July 18.
Jessica said: “The programme includes a neo-classical piece by Carolyn Bolton called Night Flight v2.0. This is jazzy and high-energy, and combines the freedom of contemporary movement with the classical technique of ballet. In the second act we’re performing Coppélia Act III, where you’ll see energetic solos and ethereal performances from the company.”
It was Jessica’s first dance school, the Georgina Pay School of Dance in Ware, that originally suggested she audition for the Central School of Ballet.
“Before I came to Central I used to dance four times a week in the evenings after school, and I gradually realised that I wanted to dance full-time after my GCSEs,” she said.
“I was part of the associate programme at Central School of Ballet for one year. This training gave me a wide range of opportunities and experiences. It also gave me a taste of what full-time dance education would be like.”
Despite the long days of rehearsing, Jessica said she was enjoying the experience. “Although it’s hard work, it’s incredibly rewarding at the end of the night once we’ve performed. My long-term ambition is to dance with a classical company.”
Ballet Central graduates go on to companies including English National Ballet and Northern Ballet, as well as international ones across the globe.