Université de Nice: DEUG Lettres
Diplôme d’ Etat de Professeur de Danse classique
University of Leeds: PGCLTHE, FHEA, PGDLTHE
Society for Education and Training: MSET, QTLS
RAD RTS and Examiner
Additional qualifications
First Aider at Work 2022
Mental Health First Aider 2021
SilverSwans Licensee 2019
Role and responsibilities:
Module leader for Dance Techniques 2 (BA1DT2) and Dance Techniques 4 (BA3DT4)
Curriculum Lead Post-Graduate Placement Scheme PPS
I still remember the surprise and the raised eyebrows when I asked to join a ballet class as a child. Narratives such as “Ballet is not for boys” were made to dissuade me, but this was my dream! With the full support of my family, I embarked on this fabulous journey, fighting against the prejudices to pursue a career in dance and ballet in particular.
Eric has an extensive background in dance teaching and learning, with a specialism in classical ballet training. Eric has worked in Higher Education for 21 years and is currently Programme Lead for the Postgraduate Placement Scheme (PPS) course and a Lecturer in Performance. Eric holds both professional body and academic qualifications which reflect his commitment to inclusive teaching practice. Eric was awarded Registered Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance in 2017, with whom he is also an examiner nationally and internationally. In 2013, Eric achieved Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) and later was awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning & Teaching in HE (2019). Eric has published in the field of Dance Pedagogy, Research in Dance Education (2019) and presented work around the ethics of touch in teaching ballet at conferences across the UK. Eric’s research interests continue to explore approaches to teaching classical ballet today, in particular looking at the potential contribution of technologies to ballet pedagogy. Eric has sat on the Board of Governors for NSCD (2004-2012) and demonstrated his on-going commitment to best practice in HE through regular engagement with professional development in dance, teaching and learning, safeguarding, behaviour management, and EEDI.
Eric received his ballet training at the Conservatoire de Nice (1st Prize) and the Académie Princesse Grace in Monaco. He went on to work and perform in Toulon (choreo. Antonio Alvarado), Marseille (choreo. Pedro Consuegra), Toulouse (choreo. Jacques Fabre, Serge Golovine, Eddy Toussaint, Joseph Mazzini) and finally in Salzburg as a soloist (choreo. Fred Marteny, José de Udaeta, Etienne Frey, Manfred Aichinger, Krisztina Horvath, Peter Breuer).
Eric was awarded the criticism of “beste Leistung eines Nachwuchstänzers” [best performance of a young male dancer] in Jahrbuchballett (1987).
Eric danced and toured as a guest artist in ‘Bournonville’ ballets and pas de deux with Dinna Bjørn in Ålborg (1987), Ulm (1990) and with the soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet in Malaga (1987), Odense (1988) and Rennes (1988). He also assisted Dinna Bjørn in Bournonville’s seminars and workshops in Saratoga, New York (1987,1988,1989), Tel Aviv (1989) and Hong Kong (1990).
Later, as Ballet Master and Assistant to the Ballet Director in Salzburg, Eric led rehearsals, taught the company and assisted with restaging Peter Breuer’s choreography, Peer Gynt, in Klagenfurt (1994). He has also taught at SEAD in Salzburg, choreographed for schools in Austria and local communities in Germany. He is also an RAD Examiner in the UK.
