The Roman Turczynowicz General Ballet School in Warsaw has, since its foundation in 1818, continually embraced a variety of – to borrow from the Festival’s theme – “mad” artistic challenges. Thanks to this spirit of boldness, as well as the exceptional dedication of its teachers, former directors such as Roman Turczynowicz (in the 19th century) and Piotr Zajlich (in the first half of the 20th century) trained generations of outstanding dancers – a tradition which continues to this day. Today, a team of true professionals, many with a keen choreographic flair, introduces pupils to the world of dance.
The school offers a nine-year curriculum, combining academic subjects with a wide-ranging professional dance training programme. Pupils study a variety of techniques, including classical, folk and character dance, early dance, contemporary styles, partnering, and music. This offering is regularly expanded with new subjects and courses to ensure the very best preparation for a career in professional ballet in the twenty-first century.
A central element of the pupils’ training is stage practice – a longstanding tradition dating back to before the Second World War, and one which remains very much alive today. Thanks to the continued support of the management of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and Krzysztof Pastor, Director of the Polish National Ballet, students regularly perform on the main stage in repertoire productions, as well as in school concerts on the Chamber Stage. During the 2024/25 season, pupils from various year groups appeared in major ballet productions such as Dracula, Don Quixote and Giselle.
A particularly noteworthy achievement was the full-scale premiere of Cinderella, set to the music of Jules Massenet. The production – created entirely by pupils and teachers under the direction of choreographer Antonio Lanzo (himself a dancer with the Polish National Ballet) – proved a resounding success. A filmed version was later made available to the wider public as a dance fairytale on YouTube, offered as video on demand.
The school also collaborates with a variety of cultural institutions and organisations, including the Warsaw Chamber Opera (La clemenza di Tito) and Polish national television (Pytanie na Śniadanie).