Launch of South of Scotland Youth Ballet Company is en pointe

South of Scotland Youth Ballet Company (SoSYBCo.) is an exciting new programme focused exclusively on ballet development and performance.

Co-faculty leader, Fiona Henderson, says: “This opportunity is open to all ballet dancers who are taking regular ballet classes with their existing dance schools. Auditions, which are taking place in Peebles on Sunday, June 15, for our 2025/6 programme, where dancers will be assessed by our expert audition panel and placed in the appropriate class for their experience and ability”.

Fiona continues: “There are a few ballet associate programmes in Scotland already, but nothing specifically designed for dancers in the South of Scotland region, and we were keen to provide additional opportunities for local dancers, which will allow them to fully develop their potential and love of ballet”.

Co-faculty leader, Jacqui Richards, says the new South of Scotland Youth Ballet Company “aims to provide ballet dancers with additional focused tuition to supplement their weekly ballet classes at their local dance school.”

The Ballet Company programme offers monthly classes which are based on the JR Classical Ballet Syllabus which was developed by Jacqui several years ago to enable dancers to enhance their foundational technique and knowledge of Ballet.

The JR Classical syllabus has been rolled out in England but not yet offered in Scotland.

Jacqui and Fiona, who had previously worked together, felt this was a perfect opportunity to introduce the JR Classical Syllabus to Scotland as an integral element of forming South of Scotland Youth Ballet Company.

Classes will also include Progressive Ballet Technique and repertoire tuition which will lead to an annual performance in June 2026. The first production of SoSYBCo will be Coppélia, one of the best-loved classical works in the Ballet repertory.

Applications to join the programme are already open and dancers have already been applying from across the region.

More information can be found at www.southscotlandyouthballet.com