Anna du Boisson OBE Honoured at Windsor Castle

Anna du Boisson, OBE. LVBS Founder and Honorary Patron

London Vocational Ballet School is delighted to share the wonderful news that our Founder and Honorary Patron, Anna du Boisson, has been awarded an OBE for services to dance.

Anna received the honour from His Royal Highness Prince William, The Prince of Wales, at an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle on Wednesday 11 March 2026.

Ahead of the ceremony, we spoke with Anna about what the recognition means to her and reflected on the journey that led to the founding of what is now London Vocational Ballet School. Receiving the honour has been a deeply moving moment for her.

“I could not be more thrilled,” she said. “Receiving an OBE is such an honour, I never thought it would come my way.”

From an Idea to a School

London Vocational Ballet School began life as the Young Dancers Academy, founded by Anna alongside fellow dancer Kerry Williams. The school’s beginnings were humble. Anna recalls the earliest plans taking shape on IKEA desks in her sitting room, where the two founders worked through the many challenges involved in creating a new training environment for young dancers.

What drove them forward was a clear sense that something important was missing. They saw the need for a specialised ballet school in central London where talented young dancers could pursue rigorous training while maintaining a strong academic education and continuing to live at home with their families.

That vision would go on to shape the ethos of the school that exists today.

A Philosophy That Has Endured

Although the school has grown and evolved over the years, its guiding philosophy has remained remarkably consistent. Anna describes the aim as creating a safe, happy and nurturing environment in which young dancers can meet the demanding technical standards of classical ballet while developing the confidence and resilience needed for an artistic career.

Performance plays an important role in that development, giving students the opportunity to discover their artistry and to build the courage required in the professional dance world. At its heart, Anna believes training young dancers is about giving them the confidence to try, to fail and to try again, while learning to take pride in themselves and their work.

“Follow your passion. Give it everything you have. Don’t be afraid to go wrong. A dancer needs a good ego and a humble heart.”Anna du Boisson OBE.

 A Thriving Community

Today, Anna remains closely involved with the school she founded. She continues to teach all year groups once a week and also works with students during holiday classes.

For her, the greatest inspiration continues to come from the students themselves.

She describes the teaching faculty, both academic and vocational, as a group united by one principle: putting the students first.

“There is no conflict between the academic and vocational,” she says. “We all pull together to achieve the best outcome possible.” It is this collaborative spirit, she believes, that makes the school such an exciting environment to be part of.

Looking back on the development of the school since its earliest days, Anna says she is most proud that its original values have remained intact. Through every stage of the school’s growth, its culture has been grounded in kindness, humour and hard work, principles that continue to shape the daily life of the school today.

Looking to the Future

As Honorary Patron, Anna remains deeply optimistic about the future of London Vocational Ballet School and the generations of young dancers who will continue to train there.

She believes strongly that the school will continue to thrive while remaining true to the ethos that inspired its creation. Her advice to young dancers and their families is simple: follow your passion, give it everything you have, and trust your teachers.

A Proud Moment for LVBS

Anna’s OBE marks a proud moment not only for her personally, but for the entire London Vocational Ballet School community.

As the school continues to grow and develop, her vision, to create a nurturing environment where talented young dancers can pursue exceptional training alongside academic education, remains firmly at the heart of everything LVBS does.