For how long have you been dancing and can you tell us a bit about what being a ballet dancer entails?

I started ballet when I was three years old, although it was only at 13, when I was accepted as a student at one of the UK's leading vocational ballet schools - Elmhurst Ballet School - and later the English National Ballet School at 15, that my journey properly started. My schedule consisted of a full day of dance training, starting at 8.30 am and finishing at around 7 pm, Monday to Saturday. Becoming a ballet dancer entails having the correct body and mind along with a significant mix of talent, passion and discipline. While you must be strong physically, you also need to be mentally strong and tough, because it is a very cut-throat environment. Given the intensity of the training, it is vital to remain focused, to maintain a high level of confidence and to be mentally strong enough to pick yourself back up during hardships.

LEFT: Blue dress (€28) from F&F. Nour necklace (€35) from PORTO. Bloch pointe ballet shoes (starting from €57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO. RIGHT: Dress (€165) from 1-2-3 Paris. Earrings (€88) and bracelet (€45) from PORTO. Bloch pointe ballet shoes (starting from €57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO.

Where has ballet taken you?

As a dancer in training and practice for over 20 years, dance is indeed an integral part of my life. I believe my dance training has played a pivotal role in my creative development, artistic appreciation, education and personal growth. Undeniably, I would not be the person I am today without the unique dance training opportunities that I have experienced.

While I am no longer dancing professionally, my journey with dance continues to grow and develop. Currently, I am very passionate about my teaching and dedicating my time and focus on sharing my experiences with the dance community. My profound ambition is to use the knowledge I have acquired throughout my time on the international platform to help, encourage and possibly inspire the next generation of young dancers. In doing so I hope to create a nurturing environment and positive learning experience for young dancers which motivates them to reach their full potential.

Shirt (€28) from F&F. Royal blue tutu skirt (€68.50) from THE DANCE STUDIO. Nour Necklace (€140) and earrings (€88) from PORTO. Bloch Pointe ballet shoes (starting from €57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO. 

I also continue with my own learning and development. I received a BA (Hons.) degree in Dance Studies in 2013 and I recently completed Master's degree in Creativity and Entrepreneurship, with my thesis focusing on exploring the way in which skills acquired through dance training can be transferable to other creative ventures. I am also continuing to expand and enhance my teaching qualifications and my practice as a dance teacher.

LEFT: Jumper (€60) and floral trousers (€75) from Monsoon. Nour necklace (€39) and Nour earrings (€39) from PORTO. Bloch pointe ballet shoes (starting from €57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO. RIGHT: Black top (€33) and pink skirt (€43) from RIVER ISLAND. Bracelet (€89) from PORTO. Bloch pointe ballet shoes (starting from ¨57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO.

Can you tell us about Ballet Intensive International: what is the aim of this course and how did it come about?

I founded Ballet Intensive International (BII) in 2014 with the intention of connecting young aspiring dancers with today's leading professionals in the industry. As well as the interest I have in identifying and helping to develop potential talented dancers, I also wanted to expand the opportunities available to young ballet dancers in Malta. The intensive is specifically designed to give dancers the opportunity to experience a high level of classical coaching from professional dancers who dance with the world's leading ballet companies.

LEFT: Blush pink culotte jumpsuit, (€60) from River Island. Earrings, Model’s own. Bloch pointe ballet shoes (starting from €57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO. RIGHT: Red dress (€155) and Silk scarf (€55) from 1-2-3 PARIS. Nour earrings (€28) from PORTO. Bloch pointe ballet shoes (starting from €57.90) from THE DANCE STUDIO.

Previous guest teachers have included Laurretta Summerscales (Principal Dancer with the English National Ballet), Tierney Heap (Soloist with the Royal Ballet), Sasha Mukhamedov (Principal with the Dutch National Ballet), Mari Kawanishi (Artist with Staatsballett Berlin), Yasmine Naghdi (Soloist with the Royal Ballet), and Ruth Brill (Artist with Birmingham Royal Ballet).

The two-week intensive is open to Maltese and international dancers aged 10 and above. Over the past four years, BII has built a healthy network of student members who benefit from dance exposure and opportunities in the world of ballet. The programme is tailor-made to expose dancers to pre-professional ballet training as they can take advantage of hands-on skills and one-to-one training from the internationally acclaimed professional ballet dancers.

Classes include classical ballet technique, repertoire, solo variations, performance skills, contemporary dance, body conditioning, stretching, pointe work, tutorials in health nutrition and audition techniques. The programme aims to nurture and motivate dance students in an encouraging and fun environment, while developing the dancer's appreciation for the classical art form. The programme also offers students the opportunity to perform at the end of the course.

Every year, BII awards an international vocational scholarship to attend a Ballet School of international repute. For instance, BII's most promising dancer for 2016 won a place at the summer programme of Elmhurst Ballet School - one of the UK's leading vocational ballet schools. Our 2017 summer intensive will take place in Malta between 31 July and 11 August and will welcome Soloist Luiza Lopes from the Royal Swedish Ballet and Artist Maria Andres Betoret from the Stuttgart Ballet.

We encourage those who are passionate about their ballet training to apply to our 2017 summer intensive. Entry to the programme is via an application and photo audition and interested students can email [email protected] to request an application form.

STYLING: DORIANNE MAMO (WWW.ASKDORIANNE.COM) ı PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTHEW B SPITERI ı MODEL: SANDRINA SPITERI GONZI

HAIR:  BERNICE CATANIA (MARLENE HAIR AND MAKE-UP) ı MAKE-UP: MARLENE VASSALLO (MARLENE HAIR AND MAKE-UP)

LOCATION: INCITE MOTION SCHOOL OF DANCE, SLIEMA