DIRECTOR
CIRA ROBINSON
Cira was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA where she began dancing at the age of 8. After graduating from the School for Creative and Performing Arts in 2004, she moved to NYC as an apprentice with the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble. After a few months, she became a full member and danced many works from the DTH repertoire under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell.
In 2008, she joined BalletBlack in London, UK, where she has created many roles with numerous choreographers from around the world. In 2013, was nominated for Outstanding Classical Female at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards, as well as Best Female Dancer nominee in 2021. In 2017, Cira worked with Freed of London and Balletblack to create the first Brown and Bronze pointe shoe for the well known shoemakers. 2019 danced at the Glastonbury Pyramid stage with artist Stormzy as well as guested with Scottish Ballet in Helen Pickett’s The Crucible at EIF. In 2022, she won Best Soloist in a Dance Production at the Black British Theatre Awards.
Cira has taught for the Balletblack Junior Ballet School for many years as well as Yorkshire Ballet Summer Seminars and open classes throughout the U.K.
In 2020, she joined as a guest artist with Fabula Collective in their production of Human, dancing the lead role in Lady Macbeth, choreographed by Christopher Marney at the New National Theatre in Tokyo, as well as the lead in his piece titled “Eve” that premiered at Sadlers Wells in September 2022. In 2024, she returned to the stage with London City Ballet, under the directorship of Chris Marney, for a short tour and revived her role as “Eve”.
Since retiring from BalletBlack in December 2022, she has stepped into the role as Director at Yorkshire Ballet Seminars and is elated to be able to continue the legacy and stellar reputation of such a wonderful charity.
WHAT We DO
YBS takes great pride in being able to provide scholarships for our Summer Residential Seminars to our most talented students and bursaries for those who need financial support.
YBS receives no government funding and the ability to offer scholarships and bursaries is entirely due to the generosity of our loyal supporters without whom it would not be possible.
We thank every one of you for your continued support.
Over the last 50 years YBS has awarded scholarships to many of the most recognisable names in the dance world including:
Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet; David Bintley CBE, Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet; Matthew Ball, First Soloist Royal Ballet; Laurretta Summerscales, Principal English National Ballet; Xander Parish, Principal Mariinsky Ballet; Samara Downs, Principal, and Brandon Lawrence, Soloist, both with The Birmingham Royal Ballet; Elizabeth Harrod, Soloist Royal Ballet and many more successful dancers within all the major Ballet Companies.
History
The first Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, founded by David Gayle MBE, a former dancer with The Royal Ballet, was held at Ilkley College in 1973, and opened by Dame Ninette de Valois, founder of The Royal Ballet. YBSS moved to York St John University in York in 1999 and is now held in the beautiful surroundings of Ashville College, Harrogate.
Before our current director Cira Robinson took her position, Marguerite Porter MBE, during her 12 years as director, transformed Yorkshire Ballet Seminars into the wonderful charity it is today, giving the best tuition to the best and most deserving students, with its place firmly embedded in the pantheon of British ballet. Marguerite's unfaltering passion and dedication to YBS is what made the students' time at the residential so enriching, allowing so many young dancers the opportunity to reach their full potential and go on to achieve wonderful success in the world of dance.
After Marguerite, Iain Mackay, Former Principal at Birmingham Royal Ballet, continued this passion and dedication and grew YBS with the addition of an Easter course and longer summer residential. Working through the pandemic he created an online dance community delivering classes virtually and once lockdown was over developed our pop up programme taking YBS on the road round the country.
Cira has continued this growth and we are attracting more students than ever with the extension of our summer residential to four weeks. Cira oversaw the 50th birthday of YBS in 2023. YBS looks forward to many more years supporting our future dancers.
Some of the most iconic names in ballet have taught at the summer school during its 44 years including Sir Anthony Dowell CBE, Lynn Seymour, Dame Beryl Grey, Marguerite Porter MBE, Laura Connor, Wayne Sleep, Steven McRae and Edward Watson MBE, amongst many more.