St Michael Foundation for Education is the only independent school on the island to offer its students Performing Arts within the curriculum. Apart from the annual concerts held at St Agatha’s Auditorium, internationally acclaimed examinations are held within the school. Drama students partake in Trinity Guildhall examinations and dance students participate in both Ballet (Cecchetti Method) and Modern Theatre examinations under the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Board.
This year all four groups who entered the Trinity Guildhall Performance Arts/Musical Theatre examinations obtained distinctions under the direction of Angèle Cristina and Catherine Strawbridge. Last year, St Michael Foundation was presented with an international award by Trinity Guildhall for achieving the highest distinction for grade six Performing Arts students across Europe.
Over 200 candidates were entered for the Cecchetti Ballet examinations, maintaining a successful record for the past 17 years. The students participated in various events such as the Millennium Celebrations organised by the Department of Education and Dance Power. Karen Sant, a senior student who had won a scholarship, has successfully graduated from a three year course at the prestigious Northern Ballet School in Manchester and she will now be following a career in dance overseas. The Ballet faculty consists of Anne Gatt, Katya Coleiro and Nina Winter.
During this year’s ISTD Modern Theatre examination sessions, all 54 students entered by the school obtained excellent grades. Modern/Lyrical Jazz is also taught by Catherine Strawbridge, as well as Hip Hop by Kristina Schranz. This June, St Michael Foundation won the Annual Mediterranean Freestyle Festival with a Hip Hop routine under Ms Schranz’s direction. Last July, 7 students were lucky enough to travel to Italy to experience the 16th edition of ‘Broadway a Tropea’. This event offers the opportunity for dancers worldwide to experience various styles and to promote dance as an artistic discipline. Rebecca Agius, Daniela Attard Previ, Sarah Carabot, Giulia Gatt, Sarah Micallef, Davina Schembri and Samantha Sullivan performed in this year’s event with internationally acclaimed dancers and choreographers under the supervision of Catherine Strawbridge.
Always striving to offer their students new opportunities and activities in order to advance their education to new heights, St Michael Foundation has started this scholastic year with fervour.