Wayne Sleep scholarship for promising Teesside dance students

One of the world’s best known dancers, Wayne Sleep OBE, is providing a scholarship to promising Teesside dance students.

Wayne recently visited the University to meet students on the new Dance degree.

During his visit he watched the degree students undertake an assessment at Middlesbrough College’s Middlehaven Campus, where they take all of their practical classes in the state-of-the-art theatre and dance studios.

The prestigious £1,000 one-year scholarship, named after Wayne, will be awarded annually to a student who demonstrates artistic excellence, enthusiasm for dance as an art, determination to work as a dance artist and shows potential for development.

Wayne, who was brought up in Hartlepool, gained a Leverhulme Scholarship to the Royal Ballet School when he was 12 and went on to achieve worldwide national success as a dancer, choreographer and actor.

He already has a link with the University as he was awarded and Honorary Master of Arts from Teesside in 1999.

Making a huge difference Ronan Paterson, Head of Performing Arts at the University, said: ‘It was a great opportunity for our students and staff to meet Wayne, who has an unparalleled breadth of experience to share with them.

‘Wayne’s generosity, both with his time and in providing the scholarship for future dance students, makes a huge difference to the opportunities we are able to offer through the course.’

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