Spring Workshop 2024
Spring Workshop April - June 2024
Public registration starts on 27.03.2024, 12nn (Wednesday)
Introduction to Ballet
It’s never too late to learn ballet! People of all ages can study ballet fundamentals while improving posture, flexibility and balance in a welcoming environment. This engaging workshop is perfect for students with no prior dance experience or knowledge of ballet terminology. Come sweat with us and get moving!
* Recommended for beginner students ages 13 and up and senior citizens.
| Day | Time | Instructor | Venue | Start Date |
| Mon | 19:45-21:15 | Irene Lo | Wong Chuk Hang Studio | 6 May, 2024 |
Ballet Technique - Elementary
Refresh ballet fundamentals while improving posture, flexibility and balance in a nurturing environment. This interactive workshop is designed for students with some ballet experience and want to increase their knowledge of ballet skills and terminology.
*Recommended for students ages 13 and up with 2-3 years of dance experience.
| Day | Time | Instructor | Venue | Start Date |
| Wed | 19:30-21:00 | Garry Corpuz | Wong Chuk Hang Studio | 10 Apr, 2024 |
| Fri | 19:30-21:00 | Ashleigh Bennett | Wong Chuk Hang Studio | 12 April, 2024 |
Ballet Technique - Intermediate
For students with a fundamental understanding of ballet, this class will build upon ballet terminology and focus more on technique and placement while emphasising musicality in a safe and supportive atmosphere. As students gain a better understanding of barre and centre work, they will be challenged with combinations at a faster pace.
* Recommended for students ages 13 and up with 3-5 years of previous ballet training.
| Day | Time | Instructor | Venue | Start Date |
| Thur | 19:30-21:00 | Shen Jie | Wong Chuk Hang Studio | 9 May, 2024 |
Ballet Technique & Pointe
Dancing on pointe is a major milestone in a dancer’s life! Beginning with some simple ballet pointe technique, this class features basic exercises as warm up and barre pointe work for alignment and muscle strengthening. Students do centre work and simple combinations of ballet pointe work to develop their artistry and technique.
*Suitable for students ages 13 and above with at least two years of pointe experience.
| Day | Time | Instructor | Venue | Start Date | |
| Tue | 19:30-21:00 | Ballet Technique |
Jessica Burrows |
Wong Chuk Hang Studio |
9 Apr, 2024 |
| 21:00-21:30 | Pointe | ||||
| Tue | 19:30-21:00 | Ballet Technique | DONG Ruixue | 21 May - 25 June, 2024 | |
| 21:00-21:30 | Pointe |
Yoga Stretch
Yoga Stretch uses thoughtful forms so students can have a relaxing muscle stretch and safely work their joints. The class will start with pranayama (simple breathing exercises), followed by gentle asanas (poses) for joint stability, flexibility and core and muscle strength. As students practice inner focus, they will notice the nuances of yoga and learn to look within for calming energy. Yoga focuses on the body's overall alignment as well as health and wellness. All levels are welcome.
*Suitable for students ages 13 and up; no previous experience is necessary.
| Day | Time | Instructor | Venue | Start Date |
| Thur | 19:45-20:45 | Irene Lo | Wong Chuk Hang Studio | 11 Apr, 2024 |
Class package:
Ballet Technique Class
Applicable to Introduction to Ballet, Ballet Technique - Elementary, Ballet Technique - Intermediate, Ballet Technique and Pointe (An additional HK$80/class applies to pointe class)
HK$2,600 |
8 Classes Valid for 2 months (The first class should be started within 15 days from the date of purchase.) |
8-Class Pass |
HK$1,400 |
4 Classes Valid for 1 month (The first class should be started within 15 days from the date of purchase.) |
4-Class Pass |
HK$380 |
1 Class Valid for 1 month (From the date of purchase) |
1-Class Pass |
*An additional HK$80/class fee applies for the Pointe class. Kindly settle the payment at the reception upon your arrival.
Ballet Fitness Class
Applicable to Yoga Stretch
HK$1,600 |
8 Classes Valid for 2 months (The first class should be started within 15 days from the date of purchase) |
8-Class Pass |
HK$900 |
4 Classes Valid for 1 month (The first class should be started within 15 days from the date of purchase) |
4-Class Pass |
HK$250 |
1 Class Valid for 1 month (From the date of purchase) |
1-Class Pass |
Instructor
Soloist
Born in Stouffville, Canada, Jessica Burrows graduated from Canada's National Ballet School and danced with The National Ballet of Canada before joining Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) in 2010. She was promoted to Coryphée in 2015, joined Boston Ballet in 2017 as an Artist and returned to HKB in 2019.
With HKB, Burrows has been featured in works by Jorma Elo, Val Caniparoli, Alexei Ratmansky, Terence Kohler, Wang Xin Peng, Kinsun Chan, George Balanchine and Marius Petipa, among others. With Boston Ballet, she performed principal and soloist roles in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker, William Forsythe’s Pas Parts and Sage Humphries’ YOU, to name a few. Burrows danced in Natalia Makarova's Giselle during exchange performances with The Royal Swedish Ballet in 2013.
Born in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, Garry Corpuz trained at Philippine High School for the Arts and then De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde on full scholarship. After dancing with Ballet Philippines in 2011, he joined Hong Kong Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member in 2017, became Coryphée in 2018 and was named Soloist in 2020.
With HKB, Corpuz has danced the featured roles of Von Rothbart in John Meehan’s Swan Lake, Rat King, Egyptian Doll and Russian Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutracker, Espada and Don Quixote in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Lankendem in Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire, Romeo and Romeo’s Sifu in Septime Webre’s Romeo + Juliet, King of Hearts and Cheshire Cat in Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland), Captain Hook and Gentleman Starkey in Webre’s Peter Pan, Tom Buchanan in Webre’s The Great Gatsby and lead roles in George Balanchine’s Jewels. He also performed in Septime Webre and Charla Genn’s Giselle, Webre’s Ballet Classics for Children: Cinderella, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval des Animaux, Trey McIntyre’s A Day in the Life, Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit, Septime’s Second Movement, Stephen Shropshire’s Handelwerk and Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky’s The Rite of Spring, among others.
Dong Ruixue graduated from Beijing Dance Academy and was a member of The National Ballet of China in 2006. She joined Hong Kong Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member in 2011 and was named Soloist in 2014. After she left the company, she became a ballet teacher in 2021. Currently, she is a faculty member of Hong Kong Ballet's Classical Ballet Training Programme.
With HKB, Dong has danced principal and featured roles, including Juliet in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Ballerina and Clara in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Dai Yu in Wang Xin Peng’s The Dream of Red Chamber, Princess Florine in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella in Yuri Ng’s Ballet Classics for Children: Cinderella, Peasant Pas de Deux in John Meehan and Lin Mei-fang’s Giselle, Valencienne in Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow, Natalia Makarova’s Swan Lake, John Cranko’s Onegin, George Balanchine’s Jewels and Serenade, Wang Xixian’s The Red Detachment of Women, Zhang Yimou’s Raise the Red Lantern choreographed by Wang Xin Peng.
A former coryphée of Hong Kong Ballet who has performed numerous lead roles, Irene Lo has been working closely with HKB for over a decade. Currently, she is the Associate Director of Training for HKB’s Classical Ballet Training Programme and the part-time faculty member at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). In 2022, she obtained her Master of Fine Arts in Dance with distinction at HKAPA with a full scholarship from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund.
During 2021-2023, Lo was a Rehearsal Mistress for the children who danced in HKB’s Peter Pan, Cinderella, ALICE (in wonderland) and The Nutcracker. In 2018, she was a project coordinator for Scottish Ballet’s Hansel & Gretel. As a certified yoga and aerial yoga instructor, Lo also teaches ballet and yoga at City Contemporary Dance Company and Hong Kong Dance Company. In the past decade, she has been a guest teacher in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Malaysia, Indonesia and Macau.
Her choreographic work includes the TV ad of a Cheung Kong/ Sun Hung Kai Property Grand Jeté, Hello Hong Kong with Hong Kong Tourism Board featuring celebrities Aaron Kwok, Kelly Chan and Sammi Cheng, True Light College’s 150th anniversary musical and Three As One Theatre’s drama No Name.
Lo’s accolades include ‘Most Promising Dancer’ from Friends of Hong Kong Ballet and ‘Outstanding Performance of the Year’ from Hong Kong Dance Alliance. Additionally, Lo was Chief Executive Manager of the Asian Grand Prix (AGP) in 2013-2015 and served as a jury member in the Manila, Malaysia, AGP, Canaan International Competitions and Dance World Cup.
Born in Zhejiang, China, Shen Jie trained at Zhejiang Vocational Academy of Art, Guangzhou Dance School and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He joined Hong Kong Ballet in 2007, was named Soloist in 2013 and became Principal Dancer in 2016 . In 2022, he was appointed HKB’s Arts Education and Cultural Ambassador.
With HKB, Shen has danced numerous principal and featured roles, including Albrecht in Septime Webre and Charla Genn’s Giselle, Fritz in both Stephen Jefferies’ and Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, as well as Prince and Chinese Doll in the latter version, Blue Bird in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Basilio in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Ali and Birbanto in Anna-Marie Holmes' Le Corsaire, Romeo and Mercutio in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Little Mak in Webre’s Romeo + Juliet, Franz in Ronald Hynd’s Coppélia, Camille in Hynd’s The Merry Widow, Pinocchio in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Gustave in Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, White Rabbit and Joker in Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland), Peter Pan and Noodler in Webre’s Peter Pan, George Wilson and Nick Carraway in Webre’s The Great Gatsby, Pao Yu in Wang Xin Peng’s The Dream of the Red Chamber, Young Uncle Tak in Yuri Ng’s Firecracker, Young Emperor and Frog Prince in Ng’s The Frog Prince–A Ballet Chinois, Jester in Natalia Conus’ Swan Lake Act III and lead roles in George Balanchine’s Jewels. He was also featured in John Meehan’s Swan Lake, Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze, Nacho Duato’s Castrati, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval des Animaux, Jorma Elo’s Shape of Glow, Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, Edwaard Liang’s Sacred Thread, Trey McIntyre’s A Day in the Life, Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Sombrerisimo, Fei Bo’s Shenren Chang, Justyne Li and Wong Tan-ki’s Galatea & Pygmalion and Hu Song Wei Ricky’s Between the Emotion and the Response, among others.
Shen won Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer at the 2016 and 2019 Hong Kong Dance Awards. Additionally, he was nominated for the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse for his role of Pao Yu in Wang Xin Peng’s The Dream of the Red Chamber in 2014.
