Prima ballerinas

In 1971, the legendary choreographer and founder of the internationally renowned Stuttgart Ballet, John Cranko, opened Germany's first state ballet school. Cranko had a vision of creating a school that was part of the company, a place where young dancers could be nurtured, given stage exposure from an early age and prepare for future careers within the company, which was becoming a hothouse of ballet talent.

Now, 130 students from five continents are on the roll of the John Cranko School. Aged between eight and 20, they all have the same dream - to dance on the best stages in the world.

The place to be

Students trying for one of the highly coveted places at the John Cranko School are put through their paces by experienced ballet tutors. They are also watched closely under the eagle eye of the school’s own orthopedic specialist. Ballet is strenuous physical exercise and a young body has to be fit to cope with the rigorous training.

The lucky few who pass the entrance exam are a step nearer their dream. School director Tadeusz Matacz also scouts at big international dance competitions, head-hunting brilliant young dancers for the school. When the name "John Cranko" is dropped, an invitation to come to Stuttgart is seldom refused.

After being spotted by Matacz in New York, Miles Pertl jumped at the chance of studying ballet at the famous Stuttgart school.

"This is where you've got to come, if you want to dance, this is the place to be," he said.

Sacrifices for the joy of dance

And those who want to dance seriously have to make sacrifices. "This art is a jealous mistress, she doesn't like you using your energy for anything else," said Matacz.

Students at the Cranko School train six hours a day, six days a week - and also complete a normal school curriculum. Many of the pupils leave home at an early age to board at the school. No price, it seems, is too high for a future as a professional dancer.

"If someone comes here and his greatest passion, his greatest desire, is to dance, this kind of compensates for not being with his family," said ballet mistress Ana Jojic. "If a child comes here, and that's what he wants to do, he'll find his joy in the ballet room."

The sheer joy of dancing is the driving force behind the incredible discipline necessary to make it at the John Cranko School. It's what keeps the kids going and makes every sacrifice sufferable - whether it's friends, leisure-time or other hobbies.

To those outside the ballet world, the students' devotion to dance seems to cost them their childhood - a notion, however, the young dancers vehemently deny.

"I didn't lose my childhood at all because I think there's nothing wrong with having a dream and trying to make it come true even when you're young," said 17-year-old dance student Chantal Fink. "I always loved what I was doing and just didn't care about not having enough time to hang out with friends. Time passes so fast and you have to use every day."

Preparing for a cutthroat job market

Getting into the John Cranko School isn't easy, but staying through to graduation is an even greater challenge. Every spring students are assessed to determine whether they should continue.

"Spirit, body and mind have to be finely tuned to dance," said Ana Jocic. But that's a tall order and one many at the Cranko School have failed to meet. Very often, spring assessments culminate in tearful farewells.

Director Tadeusz Matacz said the procedure is fair: Students who aren't top caliber won't have a chance on the highly competitive professional ballet market. The school is not interested, he maintained, in producing young dancers for the unemployment lines.

Despite the hard schedule and keen competition, the atmosphere in the school is homely and relaxed. Its long corridors are adorned with huge photos of smiling ballerinas. Everyone knows everyone else; the door to the director's study is always open, and he greets the students by name.

Matacz and his staff are committed to getting the very best out of their students. After all, he, the teachers and their pupils all have one thing in common, a passion for dance. The students know what their diploma is worth. A Cranko School graduate is an elite dancer - one that John Cranko himself would have been proud of.

Author: Peggy Graham

Editor: Kate Bowen