Our Faculty

Leadership

Tracy-Lea Bloch (L.I.S.T.D. Imperial Classical Ballet & Gyrotonic® Certification)
Artistic Director and Founder

Ms Bloch was born in Durban, South Africa. At the young age of 10, she was accepted at the Durban Music & Ballet School training extensively under Duddley Von Loggenburg, Noleen Nicol and Faith Devilliers in the Cecchetti, Vaganova, and Bourneville styles of ballet. She was promoted to soloist within her first year, performing with the Natal Youth Ballet Company (1985-1990), dancing roles from Graduation Ball, Bourneville Suite, Sleeping Beauty, Jewels, Etudes, and Raymonda. Receiving many awards, bursaries, and achievements she chose to dance professionally and was accepted by PACT Ballet Company at the early age of 17, where she performed many traditional ballet classics such as: Giselle, Romeo & Juliette, Firebird, Le Papillon, La Fille Mal Gardée, War & Peace, various George Balanchine works, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake. She later went on to tour South Africa with the national musical, Queen at the Opera, which concluded her eight year professional career as a classical ballerina.

Ms Bloch taught classical ballet (ISTD Cecchetti Method) in South Africa for six years before moving to London, UK, in 1998, where she trained and worked as a Gyrotonic® Instructor assisting the rehabilitation of dancers to improve their strength and flexibility for further performance development. Ms Bloch furthered her knowledge and education in training young dancers, successfully taking the Associate and Associate Diploma ISTD Professional Ballet Teaching Examinations – Imperial Faculty (with Distinction). In March 2013 she was awarded her Licentiate with Distinction.

Ms Bloch has been teaching in Canada since 2006. She held a six year position at Pro Arte where she established their junior classical ballet division, accomplishing high standards of excellence in both examination entries, and provincial and international competitions. Training both junior and senior students she gained recognition with Surrey Festival of Dance, Pacific West Dance Festival, Victoria Dance Works, Peak Invitational, Festival du Ballet, Performing Arts BC, American Dance Competition, and Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).

In 2012 Ms Bloch opened Ballet Bloch Canada with the intention of creating a professional training school and performance platform that reflects a professional ballet company. Within two years Ms Bloch was recognized internationally as a choreographer and awarded the Youth America Grand Prix Best Choreographer Award in Seattle. In 2017 Ballet Bloch Canada received the Youth America Grand Prix award for Outstanding School. Ms Bloch’s students have consistently attended the YAGP Finals in New York.

Over the years, many of Ms Bloch’s students have successfully been accepted to summer school training programs at: National Ballet of Canada, School of Alberta Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, École supérieure de ballet du Québec, SAB (School of American Ballet), San Francisco Ballet School, Royal Ballet School of London, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, ABT (American Ballet Theatre), Gelsey Kirkland School of Ballet, Miami City Ballet School, Joffrey Ballet School, Ballet West Academy and Boston Ballet School to name a few. Select students have accepted full-time placement and scholarships at: San Francisco Ballet School, Tanzakademie Zürich, National Ballet School of Canada, and School of Alberta Ballet.

Ms Bloch has been teaching collectively for 30 years. Her strength as a choreographer and rehearsal director/coach offers young dancers the opportunity to train and perform at a professional level. Her extensive teaching experience and her passion for dance education, technical training, and artistic development, is what Ms Bloch brings to every class – an inspiration for all.

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