The Russian Ballet Society is a Charitable Trust incorporated in England (Charity No. 1189032).
The Society is managed by the Executive Committee, led by the President who is assisted by the Vice President, Artistic Director and the Trustees.
The Russian Ballet Society is an organisation that was established by Nadine Nicolaeva Legat in 1937 when she opened the first boarding ballet school in the UK. She founded the society to promote the teaching of her late husband, Nicolas Legat and this became known as the Legat System of Russian Ballet. The Russian Ballet Society has since been developed and updated over the years as it continues to flourish today with the addition of teacher training courses and examinations from Grade 1 to Advanced levels. The Society has also developed its own syllabus in Character Dance and now includes examinations at all levels of work.
The object of the Russian Ballet Society, is to provide a syllabus for examinations that help students through the training towards becoming a dancer and to also provide teachers with a training and knowledge of this system. Today the society is very keen to attract established teachers of other systems who might be interested in adapting to the Legat System of Training through the Russian Ballet Society.
The Russian Ballet Society currently have schools all over the world 18 accredited schools all specialising in the teaching of this system with students taking exams annually.
The RBS is validated by Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre, and our exams are accredited through the Rockschool London, which are OFQUAL accredited and eligible for UCAS points. We are currently working on the development of a fully accredited teacher training programme for Level 6.
The Legat System
The Legat system encourages the teacher to create freedom and flexibility within their classes. Each exercise is creatively set for every class so that no two classes are exactly the same. We encourage this approach even from the earliest levels of work so that right from the start the students minds are stimulated and kept alert. The system also has a strong emphasis on correct use of épaulement, the musical use of the upwards beat and élan, meaning to address the spirit and energy of the dancers movements. It is the combination of these factors that makes Legat’s style so appealing to watch and so enjoyable to perform.
“The only truly aesthetic style, which is wholly satisfying in every respect, academically, in execution, visually and artistically, is what is generally called the Russian style. Only this style gives complete freedom of movement through the utmost and most intricate body control and a highly developed technique which achieves full use of épaulment and purity and beauty of line.”
Mme. Eunice Bartell (Honorary President)
