Connor Barlow – 3rd Year, English National Ballet School

The Tait Memorial Trust are delighted to support Connor Barlow for the 3rd year of his studies at the English National Ballet School. We support two other dancers in 2013, Calvin Richardson and Sophie Moffatt both at the Royal Ballet School.

Connor Barlow started dancing at a local Sydney School at age six; taking classes in all forms of dance. His teachers encouraged him to view dance as a challenging and athletic activity, as well as a performing art.

Connor Barlow, Ballet
Connor Barlow, Ballet

 

Connor attended The McDonald College of Performing Arts and began his classical ballet training under the guidance of Ms Josephine Jason and Mr Alan Cross in 2007. Later he joined the Australian International Ballet Academy and the Premier State Ballet, where he performed the lead role of ‘Basilio’ in their 2010 Production of Don Quixote.

In March 2011 Connor travelled to Europe to audition for several prestigious ballet schools and was accepted into the 3 Year ‘Diploma of Professional Dance’ at the English National Ballet School (ENBS), in London.

Since September 2011 Connor has been tutored by a number of renowned international ballet tutors under the direction of Samira Saidi. Some of the most significant tutors that has Connor has worked with include, Chris Wright, Ivan Dinev, Cynthia Harvey, Yohei Sasaki, David Wall and Alain Dubreuil.

With the English National Ballet School, Connor performed the lead in Kenneth MacMillan’s ‘Soiree Musicales’ and in Frederick Ashton’s Les Rendezvous and several original works by Nuno Campos and Stina Quagebeur.

In June 2013 Connor travelled to Fiori in Italy to represent the ENBS at the Dance Gala at the historic Treatro Alessandro Bonci in Cesena, performing the ‘Grand Pas Classique’.

When he is not dancing, Connor loves to surf with this Dad at Cronulla Beach in Sydney or read a good book.

Connor’s aim is to become a professional ballet dancer and / or choreographer, with a leading international ballet company.

We, at the Tait Memorial Trust, wish Connor well and hope the support that we have provided these past three years will make the journey to a professional career that much more easier.

Connor’s award is kindly provided by the Thornton foundation.