Artistic Director - Helen Ainsworth
Helen Ainsworth began dancing at the age of three in Ipswich UK, and fell in love with ballet. After performing in festivals, competitions, National Youth Ballet, and being awarded many scholarships she won a place at Rambert school of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and graduated in 2004.
Helen then went on to join Mathew Bourne’s New Adventures in 2005 where she danced in Swan Lake and Nutcracker on world tours, dancing in many different roles. She appeared in TV commercials and was a founding member of Two’s company. She has worked with many choreographers including Cathy Marston, Christopher Hampton, Wayne Sleep, and Mark Baldwin.
Helen achieved the Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma with the Royal Academy of Dance, and a passion for teaching and choreography was born. Helen has been teaching classical ballet and contemporary in Dubai since 2009 and founded The National Ballet Studio in 2013, and is so proud of how the school has grown. She also enjoys making costumes and props for productions as it expands her love of all things creative. She encourages students to get involved with these aspects too and develop new skills.
Helen’s three children all dance at The National Ballet Studio and share the love of performing on stage and making friends with their fellow dancers.
Helen choreographs professional productions as well as productions for the school.
company Director – Marie Braeken-Sudan
Marie is a Swiss national, living in Dubai since 2009 and the mother of 3 children. Marie graduated from L’Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne and spent the first part of her career in management roles in the hospitality sector in London, San Francisco, Singapore and Shanghai.
It is through the passion of her children that Marie connected with the world of ballet. In 2021 she became a partner at TNBS where her main focus is on managing the studios administrative, financial back-office , marketing and parent relations.
Beyond ballet, her passions include travel, skiing and reading.
BALlET TEACHER - KATE GRAVESTOCK
Kate began dancing at the age of three in East Yorkshire, UK. Dancing in Festivals, Pantomines and many Theatre shows she won a scholarship to the prestigious Arts Educational School, Tring Park. After this she gained another scholarship to attend the Northern Ballet School in Manchester.
Having danced, sang and acted professionally in France, Portugal, Italy and the UK, she eventually came to Dubai in 1994. Leaving briefly in 1998 teaching in two Stage schools in London and outside, she returned in 2001.
Qualified in RAD, ISTD and BBO, Kate is qualified to teach Ballet, Tap, Modern, Musical Theatre, National Dance & Silver Swans.
Kate has choreographed and directed many shows, fashion shows, productions in her 30 year career but her passion has always been teaching. Many of her ex students are now performers or teachers themselves and she is still in touch with many of her students who are now dotted around the Globe sharing a passion, love and nurturing the next generation.
She has two children who are studying in the UK and the US. She also has two dogs and two cats!
She loves, cooking, reading and swimming.