Ballet School

The Ballet School, founded in 1813 by Benedetto Ricci, has been directed by prestigious masters of the stage: Carlo Blasis, Olga Preobrajenska, Enrico Cecchetti, Cia Fornaroli, Ettorina Mazzucchelli, Esmée Bulnes, Elide Bonagiunta, John Field, and Anna Maria Prina.

The Accademia young dancers take part in the most important La Scala productions and in other prestigious productions in Italy and abroad. The school has increased the number of encounters and master classes with internationally famous choreographers and dancers such as Davide Bombana, Arlette van Boven, John Clifford, Paul Dennis, Vladimir Derevianko, Nanette Glushak, Cynthia Harvey, Monique Loudières, Piotr Nardelli, Patricia Neary, Angelin Preljocaj, Pompea Santoro, Suki Schorer, Victor Ullate, Francesco Ventriglia, and Aaron Watkin.

An essential part of the curriculum is the opportunity to interpret the works of master 20th-century and contemporary choreographers such as George Balanchine (Serenade, Theme and Variations, Who cares?), Maurice Béjart (Gaîté parisienne suite), Mats Ek (The Sleeping Beauty), William Forsythe (The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude), Jiří Kylián (Symphony in D, Evening Songs), José Limón (The Unsung), Roland Petit (Gymnopédie), and Angelin Preljocaj (Larmes blanches).

Many former students have honored the name the Accademia Teatro alla Scala Ballet School throughout the world, including, just to name a few, Carla Fracci, Liliana Cosi, Roberto Fascilla, Luciana Savignano, Oriella Dorella, Paola Cantalupo, Marco Pierin, Alessandra Ferri, and the contemporary stars Roberto Bolle, Sabrina Brazzo, Alessio Carbone, Mara Galeazzi, Gilda Gelati, Nicoletta Manni, Massimo Murru, Marta Romagna, Angelo Greco, Jacopo Tissi, and Virna Toppi.