ALBA BALLET
Alba Ballet was formed in 2012 to give up and coming dancers the opportunity to perform in full scale ballet productions.
Its an opportunity to gain valuable performance experience.
Each student becomes an integral part of the cast as we mould them into our productions.
We have produced four full productions The Nutcracker in 2014 and 2022, Cinderella in 2016, Coppelia 2018. Sadly Sleeping Beauty was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
2023 will see us embark on our latest production- Cinderella -which will take place in November 2024. Cinderella will be our biggest production to date, which will see 4 performances over 3 different venues.
OUR STUDIO
Our private self contained Studio is based at 15a Watt Street, Greenock, Inverclyde, and is the ideal location for teaching and training. Situated only 30 mins from Glasgow, Ayrshire and Argyll complete with easy access to rail, bus and ferry links.
During the evening and at weekends there is ample car parking available in Watt Street.
We believe we have created a studio that provides the very best environment for Ballet lessons and training.
The studio which only opened in 2011 also provides a bright waiting area allowing parents to wait in comfort while having a tea or a coffee.
Our Studio has been used by Scottish Ballet and Ballet West.
During the week Alba Ballets sister Company, Elite Academy of Dance use the studio for Ballet Dancers, who undergo Ballet Lessons and sit Royal Academy of Dance exams in Classical Ballet.
The Studio has recently undergone refurbishment with the addition of a second smaller warm up studio. New mirrors have been added to the main studio.
This has allowed an additional area to teach a small group on a one to one basis as well as allowing dancers a proper warm up area prior to ballet classes.
We were also delighted to welcome the BBC, Strictly Come Dancing team for three days in September 2012.
It has been our base since 2012, and seen literally thousands of hours of practice and rehearsals for The Nutcracker 2014 and 2022, Cinderella, Coppelia.
OUR AIMS AND OBJECITIVES
Alba Ballets aims and objectives are simply to give up and coming ballet dancers the opportunity to perform in a full blown classical ballet production.
Where you can experience the thrill of performing with a cast in full costume on a stage with a full set of scenery.
It is a unique experience that is not offered anywhere else in Scotland.
We are about to start work on our fifth production which will be Cinderella in 2024. So if you have the dedication , determination and want to perform in this production we want to hear from you
OUR TEAM
JULIE GUNN – Principal
Julie qualified as Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance in the spring of 2009. It was during 2009 that Julie opened The Elite Academy of Dance. The school has gone from strength to strength from its humble beginings at Inverclyde Academy so much so that Julie opened her private Studio in Greenock in 2010.
Her pupils follow the RAD syllabus and normally sit exams once a year.
Results have always been above National Averages and this has allowed Julie to place students with Scottish Ballet Associate Programme and The Dance School of Scotland.
To take students to an even more intense standard of Classical Ballet and Performance she started Elite Academy’s Associate Programme, Alba Ballet in 2012.
All Julies pupils also take part in end of year Elite Academy Summer Show, over two evenings.
The school has also performed at the Tall Ships 2011 in Greenock and Julie has prepared students to perform at St Andrews Nights, Burns Nights and Fundraising events over the past few years.
At the age of 12, Julie spent the school summer holidays with the Russian Ballet, training and performing in Edinburgh.
Four years later aged 16, Julie left home and studied at Ballet West for 4 years,taking part in productions such as Romeo & Juliet, Coppelia and The Nutcracker. While at Ballet West Julie started teaching as a first year student at Ballet Wests outreach programme.it wasn’t until 2007 she decided to start her Royal Academy teacher training.
She also performed with the Black Eyed Peas and has appeared in Vanity Fair.
As well as teaching at Alba and Elite Julie also taught Classical Ballet at UK Theatre School from 2011- 2013.
Julie launched Silver Swans- Classical Ballet for pensioners in Oct 2013, following successful trials by the RAD in Glasgow. Silver Swans now meet every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
The Scottish Ladies Gymnastic Squad for the Commonwealth Games in 2014 worked with Julie for nearly 18 months prior to the games.
She also was a guest teacher with the BBC during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
In November 2014, Julie produced Alba Ballets and her first major production of The Nutcracker. This was Alba Ballets first two year training programme and was performed over two nights to an audience of 800 plus people.
At the start of session 2015, Julie embarked on her partnership with New College Lanarkshire, which saw Alba take SQA Higher Dance classes and exams.
Alba and Julie continued onto their next production of Cinderella in 2016, with two performances at The Beacon, and an additional performance at Barrfields in Largs.
2018 saw Julie and Alba Ballet complete Alba Ballets third production of Coppelia again with three performances over the same two venues as Cinderella.
Sadly the pandemic put paid to Sleeping Beauty in 2020, however Alba returned to the stage in 2022 with a new production of The Nutcracker.
2023 will see the start of Alba start work on its next production of Cinderella which will be performed at three different venues.
ERIN O`TOOLE- Teacher/Choreographer
Erin has come full circle with her journey with Alba Ballet.
In 2014 starred as our lead female in The Nutcracker. After working and performing in London she returned to Scotland in 2019 and Alba were quick to secure her services to become part of the team.
She started concentrating on her Ballet when she became a student at The Dance School of Scotland.
Erin continued her studies at Central School of Ballet, performing and touring with Ballet Central in her final year. Since graduating she has performed with National Ballet of Ireland, The London Ballet Company as well as performing at the Royal Opera House and Sadlers Wells.
She also performed at the Olympics closing ceremony, having the privelege to dance alongside Darcey Bussell.
Erin countines to combine her teaching role while still dancing internationally with Gandini Juggling.
KIRSTY TREMAYNE – Teacher/Choreographer
Kirsty joined the staff at Alba in August 2018. Since an early age she showed a passion for Ballet and decided to pursue performing arts as a career. In 2006, Kirsty gained a full scholarship to attend Northern Ballet School in Manchester, appearing in many full length classical ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Coppélia with Manchester City Ballet.
After graduation, she embarked on a career travelling around the world performing in all genres of dance including Classical Ballet, Musical Theatre, Tap, Ballroom, Latin American and Jazz.
In 2016, Kirsty gained a place on the prestigious Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma course at the Royal Academy of Dance where she graduated with Registered Teachers Status (RTS).
Kirsty is also a teacher at Alba`s sister school Elite Academy of Dance. On top of this she also teaches at Scottish Ballet and runs her own succesful school in Glasgow, Allegro Dance Academy.
NUTCRACKER 2022
