The Hon Anna Sabine Will Meet Mark Bruce Company Summer Students

The Hon Anna Sabine, newly elected Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset is to visit the Frome-based, award-winning dance company, Mark Bruce Company at their BlackBird RedRose Studios on Saturday July 20th at 2pm.

Ms Sabine will watch the performance of 19 talented students of contemporary dance who will have completed a tough, prestigious, week-long, residential summer school at the studios.  It's the kind of training that you might expect to take place in London or New York but it's happening in Somerset thanks to the highly renowned Mark Bruce Company.  

Students train under the watchful gaze of company founder and Artistic Director Mark Bruce as well as the company's high-profile, experienced dancers, Jonathan Goddard, Eleanor Duval, and Carina Howard. The week finishes with an informal performance – or ‘sharing' – of the work in the studio on Saturday afternoon to an invited audience of friends and supporters.  Ms Sabine will be attending in her official capacity.

Mark Bruce commented: “We're delighted to welcome our new MP to visit our Somerset studio during our international Summer School where she will see these talented students as they embark on their professional careers."

Any young dancer would jump at the chance to take part in the residence and there's fierce competition for a limited number of spaces.  The selected young dancers, from all over the UK as well as countries such as Switzerland and Australia, are dedicated to a life and career in dance.  Aged 18 -22, they have trained at a variety of vocational schools including Rambert, Tring, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and London Contemporary Dance School.

The training is as mentally challenging as it is physically – resilience is a must!

A typical day starts at 9.30am with three hours of teacher-led exercises to help develop contemporary and ballet technique, strengthen and stretch muscles and improve stamina.   In the afternoon, students take part in repertory classes, performing pieces from the Mark Bruce Company itself such as sections from the company's award-winning productions of Frankenstein, Macbeth, Green Apples, Return to Heaven, Dracula and more.  The students stay with host families and sample the local cuisine at Frome hot-spots including Lotte's, Strada, Castello's and Nook.

Training at this level can only be provided thanks to the generosity of The Leverhulme Trust through their arts scholarship programme. Funding is awarded to ensure that this dance training equips students for a long, safe and varied career.

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