Diane van Schoor FISTD (CB), FRSA, Enrico Cecchetti Diploma

Born and trained in South Africa, Diane van Schoor danced professionally for CAPAB Ballet in Cape Town. She founded her School of Classical Ballet and held a lectureship in Movement Studies in the Dramatic Arts Faculty, University of Stellenbosch.  Past Artistic Director of The Cecchetti Society of Southern Africa, she holds The Enrico Cecchetti Mabel Ryan Medal, Enrico Cecchetti Diploma and Fellowships of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing London and Royal Society for the Arts. She is the recipient of the Cecchetti Dedication Award 2000, for services to Ballet in South Africa and in 2011 was awarded The Enrico Cecchetti Gold Medal by the ISTD, a lifetime achievement award.  She is an ABT® Certified Teacher of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

 In 2000 Diane joined the artistic staff of the Royal Ballet School, taught at White Lodge and later the 2nd Year Diploma course at the Upper School. She is former Ballet Principal of The Royal Ballet School, White Lodge, a post she held from 2004-2014.  She has taught at many of the world’s leading schools and companies including The Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet School, The Vaganova Academy, The National Ballet School of Canada, Royal Winnipeg, Alberta Ballet, Cleveland Ballet and New English Ballet Theatre.

 Diane acted as Artistic Director for the Cecchetti Society Trust heritage legacy film Enrico Cecchetti Diploma with dancers of The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, released in 2019. She is a freelance international master teacher and examiner, presently serving as Artistic Advisor to Alberta Ballet in Canada.

Diane has served as a Trustee since 2014 and as Vice Chair from 2021.