FACULTY

WHAT WE TEACH

The École de Danse Tompkins offers a multidisciplinary dance education, but at the same time focuses on classical dance training above all.

CLASSICAL BALLET TRAINING

The faculty of the École de Danse Tompkins teaches the Vaganova method, which is not “our own method”, but a universal method created by Ms. Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951) of the Russian Imperial Ballet School. This method is the most widely-taught around the world. Despite the extensive teaching of the Cecchetti method installed in Quebec and throughout the rest of Canada, the legacy of Madam Vaganova’s work is responsible for having produced several international stars such as Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Natalia Makarova, including Anik Bissonnette, Louis Robitaille and Stéphane Léonard, all three were Quebec’s star dancers and many others all over the world.

The Vaganova method has evolved a lot in the years producing dancers still greater and stronger than those of the past. This unique method places great importance on flexibility, endurance of the abdominal muscles, posture and balance. All this results in higher extensons, higher jumps, multiple pirouettes, sustained balances … to name a few.

Our school, which is recognized by the Society of Russian Ballet, also offers a training program that educates and trains our teachers in the Vaganova method as well as the upcoming ones who will join our team.