About

SILVER SWANS

The Silver Swans initiative has been specially developed by the Royal Academy of Dance for older learners so they too can take part in ballet classes whether you’re an experienced dancer, have briefly dabbled or are a compete novice, we welcome all older learners of any ability.

Improve your dance-life balance!

What dance can do for you
75% of the factors affecting quality of life and longevity are related to lifestyle, while only 25% are hereditary.

Research puts dance ahead of other physical activities in the variety of health benefits it brings. It: increases energy levels, can help reduce stress and support weight loss, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and improves the immune system.

Dance can play a vital role in achieving a longer and better quality of life.

Dance also: improves balance, mobility, posture, co-ordination, energy and increases cognitive ability.

Taken from the Silver Swans Fact Sheet

For more information about the Royal Academy of Dance visit Http://RoyalAcademyofDance.org

Dancing is of course technique – at the highest level it takes years of intense training (and a very early start) to be able to enter the profession but it is also possible to dance at any age. The Silver Swans mission is to make it reachable to all. High extensions and big jumps are not essential. The joy of dancing is the same whatever the level, and learning and improvement are possible at any age. By adapting technique and repertoire Silver Swans allows everyone to experience the best of dance, including some of the most familiar (and sometimes not so familiar) and best loved dance works from the greatest choreographers to the most beautiful and uplifting music.

Fanny Harniess Biography

Having trained at Bush Davies School in East Grinstead and with various teachers in London I started teaching for the Colchester Youth Theatre Dance Company (in between dancing jobs). Other teaching followed – mostly on theatre courses for the Mercury Theatre (Colchester), Colchester Arts Centre, Danceworks (Cambridge) and local ballet schools. After a break to go to university to study literature followed by a proper job, I could stay away no longer and spent a year studying for the Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma at the Royal Ballet School. After graduating I went on to teach for the Suffolk Scholars Ballet Training Scheme, Italia Conti Stage School and spent 15 years with Catherine Pickering’s School of Dance teaching ISTD modern, tap and Cecchetti ballet. In 2009 I also trained with Alan Herdman* at his studios in London on his one year Pilates Teaching Diploma course. Finally I became a Silver Swans licensee in 2019 and it is lovely to be back with the RAD where I started more years ago than I want to let on!