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Sam Pitman studied at LVBS and now resides in Canada, dancing for Atlantic Ballet Canada following his upper school training. From chatting about his enjoyment of Matthew Bourne's work to top tips for our current students, read on to find out more about Sam...
What is your favourite memory of being at school? Choosing just one favourite memory is tough for me because every performance was special. The Nutcracker performances, the Galas, and the Christmas Concerts are all memorable. However, the last day before switching to online classes and leaving the studios and classrooms behind remains close to my heart.
What was your time at school like? During my time at LVBS, I experienced many enjoyable and funny moments. Though my stay at the school was brief, it helped me transform my hobby into a profession. I have fond memories of the teachers who were always helpful with both academics and ballet. Whether in class or outside, I felt at home and comfortable being myself at LVBS. Laughter and joy were a regular part of my experience there.
Have you kept in touch with the students you trained with? I have kept in touch with a boy named Leo who was part of my year, we have been close friends for a while now. I also often bump into other classmates in the dance world where it is a joy to catch up and share news about our lives.
"I adore Sir Matthew Bourne's choreography, his rendition of Swan Lake inspired me to dance."
Tell us a bit about your training to date....Where did you train after LVBS. What was your training highlight? After completing my time at LVBS, I trained at Central School of Ballet. Here, I improved my ballet technique further and learned to blend various dance styles on stage. The highlight of my training was when I performed the emotional and romantic pas de deux from Sir Frederick Ashton's Two Pigeons at various theatres in London during the Ballet Central tour.
Where do you dance now? Have you danced anything exciting recently? I am currently dancing with Atlantic Ballet Canada, and it is my first season with the company. We are performing Pisuwin, an exciting piece that explores the Wolastoq tale, an Indigenous story that reflects on the current state of dis-ease in our world, illuminating a path to wholeness and rebalance. An intense and exciting blend of ballet and culture.
What is your favourite ballet or dance work to either watch or perform? I adore Sir Matthew Bourne's choreography, his rendition of Swan Lake inspired me to dance. Recently, I had the opportunity to perform Morgann Runacre-Temple's original work, The Queue, and it was such an exciting experience as the piece was being created on my year. Seeing it come together with our personal style and the music was a truly creative process.
What advice would you give to our current students? Remember to take all advice given by ballet and academic teachers. I still remember important corrections that shape and push me today.