Photo credits: Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
In a principality renowned for elegance and discipline, few institutions embody both as enduringly as the Princess Grace Academy. This year, the internationally acclaimed ballet school commemorates its 50th anniversary - a milestone that speaks not only to longevity but to a steadfast commitment to artistic rigor and cultural excellence.
Founded in 1975 by Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III, the Academy was envisioned as a haven for elite dance training, a vision brought to life under the stewardship of its founding director, Marika Besobrasova. What began as a local initiative has evolved into a global reference point in pre-professional ballet education - a conservatory where young dancers, aged 13 to 18, are groomed for careers on the world’s most prestigious stages.
Since 2009, under the artistic direction of Luca Masala - appointed by the Princess of Hanover on the recommendation of Jean-Christophe Maillot - the Academy has deepened its mission. With a curriculum that combines classical, contemporary, and character dance, alongside choreography, physical preparation, music, and dance history, students are offered more than just technique: they are immersed in the full vocabulary of professional artistry. Academic studies continue through correspondence, ensuring an education that is both holistic and adaptive.
The Academy is not an island. As part of the structural ecosystem of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and the Monaco Dance Forum, it operates as a central pillar in Monaco’s cultural landscape - a symbiosis that allows students to learn not just in the classroom, but within a living, breathing artistic community.
This anniversary season opens on December 19 with a special performance at the Grimaldi Forum’s Salle Prince Pierre, showcasing works commissioned for the Academy over the past 16 years. The program reads like a who’s who of contemporary choreography - a testament to the caliber of guest artists who have passed through its studios.
March will bring an inter-institutional collaboration with Monaco’s Pavillon Bosio art school, where student choreographers from the Academy will premiere original works on the theme of education, set to be performed at the Atelier des Ballets de Monte-Carlo from March 26 to 28. The celebratory year culminates with the Academy’s annual gala on June 19 and 20 at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo’s Salle Garnier, featuring innovative interpretations of the classic Giselle - a symbol of the Academy’s reverence for tradition alongside its embrace of reinvention.
This fall, 53 students from 19 nationalities arrive in Monaco to begin their journey through the Academy’s demanding four-to-five-year program. They join a legacy of alumni who have gone on to dance with major international companies - a silent testament to the institution’s enduring influence.
Six permanent instructors, supported by a rotating roster of distinguished guest choreographers and coaches, form the heart of the Academy’s pedagogical team. Their task is not simply to train, but to transform: to nurture not just technique, but tenacity; not just artistry, but identity.
Half a century after its founding, the Princess Grace Academy remains what it has always aspired to be - a place where talent is refined, ambition is kindled, and the future of dance continues to take graceful shape.