Date: 11 April 2026
For students aged 9 - 14 years
This pop-up is the perfect opportunity to learn ballet technique fundamentals and work with industry creative teachers to build your artistry and performance skill set.
Led by our guest and Academy faculty including Company Dance George Liang, guest teacher Cara O’Shea and Academy Artistic Head of Programmes Nic Gervasi. The day will culminate in an informal demonstration for families.
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Ages 9 - 11 years
11:45 - 15:30
£40 per dancerTeachers, Cara O’Shea and George Liang
Details 11:45-13:10 Warm up and class 13:15-13:45 Choreographic tools talk 14:00-15:00 Creative class 15:15-15:30 Demonstration -
Ages 12 - 14 years
11:30 - 15:30
£40 per dancerTeachers: George Liang and Nic Gervasi
Details 11:30-13:15 Warm up and class 13:30-15:00 Choreographic tools workshop 15:15-15:30 Demonstration
Our Pop-ups are suitable for dancers aged between 9 and 14 with at least two years of ballet experience who regularly attend ballet classes.
George Liang
George is from Taipei in Taiwan and trained with the New Zealand School of Dance, Canada’s National Ballet School, and I Shin Dance Studio. He previously danced with The National Ballet of Canada. He joined Northern Ballet in 2018.
Cara O’Shea
Cara O’Shea has 17 years experience teaching and in Artistic leadership roles at the Academy of Northern Ballet, most recently leaving the Academy as our Deputy Associate Director. Cara comes with a wealth of teaching experience with a specialism in teaching both recreational and professional classes.
Cara trained with London Junior Ballet and was a Cecchetti Scholar. At age 16 she joined Northern Ballet School in Manchester on the Classical Ballet focus where she decided to concentrate on teaching as a career, training for an additional year to obtain teaching experience at the school.
Cara joined the Academy of Northern Ballet as a trainee classical ballet teacher in 2007 and had had the unique opportunity of training intensively as a teacher under the personal supervision of Yoko Ichino, former Ballet Mistress and Associate Director of the Academy. Cara received her teaching certificate from Northern Ballet in 2009 and recently left the Academy to pursue new ventures.
Alongside teaching, in 2009 Cara completed her B.A. in Professional Practice (Classical Ballet) from Middlesex University.
Cara has taught at several different training establishments including Northern Ballet School, NSCD, Renaissance Scholars, Chelmsford Ballet Company as well as guesting at summer intensive and now runs Dance Pro Tuition.
Nic Gervasi
Nic was born in the picturesque town of Todi, in central Italy. His passion for ballet started at the age of four, when he enrolled into his aunt's ballet school. At the age of 16, Nic began training at the English National Ballet School in London.
Following his graduation, he joined Peter Schaufuss Bal-let in Denmark, where he performed in many productions including Marilyn, The King, and The Boys From Liverpool.
In 2010, Nic joined Northern Ballet and danced in numerous productions and roles, including Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nick in The Great Gatsby, the Nutcracker Prince, and Athos in The Three Musketeers, to name just a few. From the Leeds Grand and the Bradford Alhambra to the Royal Opera House and Sadler’s Wells, Nic’s career has been exciting to say the least.
Working with choreographers and being involved in different projects, Nic has developed a huge passion for choreography and teaching. In 2016, Nic created his first ballet, Goldilocks & the Three Bears. This went on to tour nationally and was broadcast on the BBC. In 2020, Nic retired from dancing to dedicate himself fully to teaching the next generation. He brings his experience as a performer to every class, delivering fun and insightful classes. Nic now works within the Academy team as our Artistic Lead of Programmes (CAT and Open).
Photos by Emily Nuttall.
