Central School Of Ballet Announces Departure Of Heidi Hall As Director And Her New Role As Governor

Central School of Ballet today announces that Heidi Hall, Director of Central, will be leaving the school at the end of the spring term 2020. Heidi will oversee the organisation's move to its new world-class premises in the South Bank in London early next year before taking on a role as Director of an educational foundation in Cambridge. Heidi will remain involved with Central and will join the Board of Governors in April 2020.

Heidi leaves Central as undergraduate admissions for its core BA (Hons) programme in Professional Dance & Performance are at an all-time high and its graduate performing company Ballet Central delights growing audiences in towns and cities across the UK. Central is fully prepared for the continually evolving dance industry with a strong team in place. Christopher Marney, currently Artistic Director of Ballet Central, will take on a new leadership role in the New Year focusing on expanding his artistic vision for the organisation at all levels encompassing Central's professional level training programmes through to the Junior School. Christopher will lead Central's staff in a direction vital for a dance organisation of this generation. The process to recruit an Executive Director to run Central operationally in its new South Bank home is underway.

Heidi has devoted much of her career to Central School of Ballet; she completed her professional training at Central in 1995 which led to a successful performance career. In 2012 Heidi returned to Central as Company Manager to Ballet Central, the organisation's touring company. She was subsequently promoted to Deputy Director and then in September 2016 appointed as Director of Central School of Ballet. In 2018 Heidi was recognised with the Rising Chief Executive Award by the annual Third Sector Awards who noted her part in transforming Central into a world-leading professional dance organisation and spearheading the campaign to raise £9m to fund the specific fit-out required for Central's bespoke new building in Southwark.

Ralph Bernard, Chairman of Central's Board of Governors said: "Everyone at Central is deeply grateful for Heidi's exceptional leadership and dedicated service. Her commitment to the highest professional standards and her extraordinary vision has led Central to be recognised as one of the world's leading dance schools. We are delighted that she has agreed to take up a role as Governor at the school next year. This will enable us to continue to benefit from her support to Central as we embrace our most exciting development since the school was founded in 1982."

"We congratulate Christopher on his enhanced and important role in the organisation." Ralph continues, "Our focus now is to attract a talented Executive Director to work with Christopher and the Central team for the next exciting phase at our new premises in Southwark."