Renee started dancing at the age of 14, having joined teatime/after school dance club. She was asked to join their amateur dance company “BalletWorkshop” based in Hackney.
Having spent some time abroad and on her return, she was invited to teach for them. She started her teacher training on part-time basis as she had a full time employment in the City. She soon realised there was more to teaching spent the next five years training, not only in ballet but other forms of dancing by using all she spare time and holidays attending various courses etc.
In 1976 her old dance teacher from “BalletWorkshop” asked if she would help her in her School in South Chingford which later she took over.
In 1977 a group of mothers from Walthamstow approached her and asked if she would teach Ballet from them, they had started a small school called Penrhyn School of Dancing for the local children to learn dance at affordable prices. In the late nineties, she took over running it and changed the name to Unity Dancing School mainly teaching classical ballet. She was very fortunate to have had same wonderful teachers in her training ie Joan Hewson, Laura Wilson, Eileen Langham, Juilet Locks and at the Cecchetti Centre, Cara Drower, Richard Glasstone and various Cecchetti Examiners. She won the Peter Pearson Scholarship and recently awarded a certificate in recognition of many years dedicated service to the Cecchetti Society.
Born in Granada- Spain, she started training at the age of 5 in El Centro Coreografico Internacional de Danza Clasica and Escuela de Danza Chasse then she moved to Madrid to train at the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Clásica. Upon graduation she came to London in 1991 to continue her professional training at Central School of Ballet. During her professional dance career, she had the opportunity to appear in National and International venues with many companies including The Royal Opera at Covent Garden and Japanese tour, Ballet Creations of London, Vienna Festival Ballet, The English Character Dance Company, Dance Umbrella’s British Library project, Cambridge Handel Opera, Re-animator, Balletomania and Volga Dancers.
Her screen work includes “Goodnight Sweetheart”, the feature film “Swept from the Sea” and various programs for ITV and Channel 5 TV. Esperanza has performed roles from Classical and Modern Repertoire including: “The Little Mermaid”, “Portrait of Pavlova”, “Swan Lake”, “Coppelia”, “The Nutcracker”, “La Sylphide”, “Cinderella”, “Giselle”, “The Sleeping Beauty”, “La Traviata”, “La Forza del Destino” “England Dances”, “Gypsy Journey” and “Rhapsody in Blue”.
Over the last 10 years since obtaining her teaching qualifications with the Royal Academy of Dance and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance, she has choreographed, taught ballet and character dance to professional dancers, teachers and students alike in England, Spain and Italy.
In the Summer Season 2009 at the Royal Opera House, Esperanza had the opportunity to work as Assistant Choreographer and Dancer for the revival of La Traviata, screened live in cinemas all around Europe. In 2012, she was invited to adjudicate the Cecchetti Classical Ballet Awards held at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.
Esperanza is constantly embarking in new projects to complement her CPD requirements joining in courses with the RAD, Dance UK and ISTD. She has completed courses including Dance with Adults, Syllabus refresher courses, Floor Barre and currently studding Sport Nutrition and Child Protection. As well as her love for teaching, she designs and makes costumes and theatrical props for Vienna Festival Ballet.
