Liss Forest Ballet School
Cecchetti Classical Ballet
Liss, Greatham & Petersfield, Hampshire
​The school exists to inspire and engender a love of Classical Ballet that will last throughout a dancer’s lifetime. Regardless of natural ability, when taught with fun and encouragement, dance becomes a lifelong pleasure either to go on to perform or to teach or to observe. The training engenders good stance, grace, fitness and confidence, valuable transferable skills.

Children are encouraged to obtain the highest possible standard within their capabilities whether dancing as recreation or aiming to be professional. Classical Ballet training bestows the ability to learn other styles of dance and is complimentary to those already learnt. It also awakens a love, and consequently wider appreciation of all styles of music, an intrinsic component of dance. For the already-musical child or adult, knowledge and pleasures are broadened. Many adults cherish their childhood memories and return to classical ballet; the school caters for them too. Much fun is injected into both children’s and adult’s classes for this highly technical art and achievements are rewarded whether or not exams are taken.

Our school motto is ​DO IT WITH THY MIGHT
​Successes: Central School of Ballet, Laban Conservatoire, Tring Park, KS Dance, Young Dancer’s Academy for full time vocational training plus the prestigious Cecchetti Scholars; Associates with Royal Ballet School, Cecchetti Ballet, Central School and Ballet Boost; London Children’s Ballet, English Youth Ballet. Qualifications (with UCAS points) and knowledge of the subject and surrounding disciplines aids successful offers for numerous BA Hons studies including Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Sports Therapy etc. Success at Intermediate qualifies dancers for teacher training DDE Level 4. Many use dance as their Duke of Edinburgh physical section. Every child performs in the school shows and opportunities for competitions and local appearances are available to the talented and confident child.
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Performing is at the heart of the art, and – coupled with a good technique – style, musicality and confidence flourishes
FISTD Cecchetti
Principal Yolande Parkin won a scholarship aged eleven to Elmhurst Ballet School and trained under the direction of Bridget Espinosa, gaining RAD Majors and attending Master classes with Dame Alicia Markova, Ronald Emblen, Terence Etheridge and Leslie Edwards. She performed professionally for 10 years, dancing in all styles with the Italian Operetta Company and Masque Dance Theatre (MDT). Injury led her to pursue a new artistic career, culminating in Interior Designer, Fabric Manager & Buyer within a Hampshire-based firm. After 12 years away from dance she returned. Since her very first training was in the Cecchetti Method with Gillian Dawson (F.I.S.T.D. and Examiner) Yolande has gained the ISTD’s highest teaching qualification of Fellowship plus Cecchetti Vocational exams to Adv2. The school’s biennial performances are a culmination of all these experiences, amassed into a refreshing variation of ‘the school show’. She has taught for the Cecchetti Associates and choreographed for the Cecchetti Children’s Awards, writes pupil summaries for Duke of Edinburgh Awards, funds the Dance Prize for The Petersfield School and taught private lessons for many years at Bedales School.
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Cecchetti Teaching Qualifications :
Oct 1997 - Associate - AISTD Cecchetti
Nov 2002 - Associate Diploma - AISTD (Dip) Cecchetti
Jul 2006 - Licentiate - LISTD Cecchetti
Aug 2008 - Advanced 2 - Adv2 Cecchetti
Dec 2010 - Certificate in Dance Education - CDE
Dec 2019 - Fellowship - FISTD

Awards :
​May 2006 - Peter Pearson, Teacher’s Scholarship
July 2014 - IDS School of the Year 2013, Silver Award
April 2019 – Diana Barker Memorial Award for Fellowship Studies
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BA Hons
Abigail Pillans (Abbie) started ballet with Liss Forest Ballet School at the late age of 11 but was accepted at sixteen into vocational training at Ballet West Scotland. Here, she worked with choreographers Indra Reinhold, Daniel Jobs, and Natasha Watson. She toured Scotland with the school in a number of productions including Swan Lake and Giselle. At eighteen, Abbie attended Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, gaining a first-class honours degree in Contemporary Dance. Whilst at Trinity Laban Abbie was involved in commissioned works with choreographers Daniel Squire, Stephen Berkeley-White and Divya Kasturi. In 2021 – 2022 Abbie undertook an apprenticeship with Yorke Dance Project, where she performed at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre. Abbie also works with the Royal Ballet School’s former Ballet Principal at White Lodge, Mary Goodhew, teaching Ballet, Contemporary and choreographing pieces for competitions, shows and auditions. In February 2023 Abbie’s choreography, Egyptian Girl, made it to the finals of the world-wide competition Tanzolymp. It also won her student a scholarship to a summer school in Japan.
AISTD (DDE) BA Hons
Hannah Lacey started her dance training at the age of six and took classes in Cecchetti Ballet, Tap, Modern and Drama for many years, gaining Advanced 1 in both Ballet and Tap. After dancing through school and college, Hannah then went on to study at the University of Chichester, gaining BA Hons in Dance in 2014.  Hannah has taught for community projects, other ballet schools and built up her own small dance school near Medstead, Hampshire. She gained her Diploma in Dance Education in Cecchetti Ballet in 2018 and is a fully qualified dance teacher and Registered Member of the ISTD.
James Forbat, English National Ballet 
We are honoured to have James Forbat as our Patron. James trained at the Royal Ballet School, graduating in 2005 with Honours. On graduation he joined the London based company, English National Ballet, rising regularly through the ranks to become First Soloist. He has danced Principal roles in many of the traditional and modern ballets. See http://www.ballet.org.uk/ to learn about the company. James recently retired from English National Ballet and now teaches Vocational students in Valencia, Spain. James has always taken a keen interest in Liss Forest Ballet School and is very proud to be of Patron. He helps the school in any way he can, including selecting winners for the school performance awards. During the 2021 Lockdown James taught the senior students the female Bluebird solo over Zoom, all the way from Spain!
Yolande receiving the Award from Wayne Sleep OBE
James Forbat at ENB company class