Niki Henson

 

 

In 2001 Classical ballet was introduced under the direction of Nicola Henson A.I.S.T.D. Dip. Children are accepted from three years of age with classes twice weekly from the age of five years and over. International examinations are held at the end of each scholastic year and internationally recognized certificates are awarded to successful candidates. All students will have the opportunity to perform on stage during annual school productions and other events throughout the year.

 

Born and raised in Malta, Nicola started classical ballet at the age of four with the Tanya Bayona academy, later the Tanya Bayona Princess Poutatine Academy of Ballet, where she trained in the Cecchetti method up to Advanced level. She also took up other forms of dance within the school namely Modern dance and Jazz, National dance, Contempory dance and of course Spanish dance.

 

She was awarded several scholarships to attend the Bush Davies College and the London Studio Centre both in the United Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

Her greatest experience however, was an invitation to study at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Vaganova Ballet Academy- the school of the Kirov Ballet- has seen the names of Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Vaslav Nijinsky to name a few of the famous world over and in the late 50's and 60's produced the renowned Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Barishnikov.

 

Nicola continued to establish her career in dance forming part of the Tanya Bayona Dance Theatre Company performing both locally and abroad taking on many solo roles and obtained her qualifications to teach classical ballet in the Cecchetti method in August 1991 after which she joined the Tanya Bayona Princess Poutatine Academy faculty and was responsible for the junior section of the school.

 

In 1999 after a short break in which she married and had a son, Nicola joined the faculty of the college of Jazz Dance assisting Alison Bird in the ballet section of the school and in the year 2000 opened the ballet section within Alegria Academia Flamenca joining Rosanna Maya in her pursuit to develop dance in Malta.

 

It is here Nicola intends to continue to pass on her knowledge and experience and carry on developing the beauty of dance amongst our youngsters.