New Performance Award presented

We are delighted to present a new annual award for performance named after an inspiring young performer...

The "Katie Deacon Award for Performance" will be presented annually to the student who has gained the highest mark in a Royal Academy of Dance Solo Performance Award during the years exam sessions. The award is named after former CSBS dance student Katie Deacon who is now a successful professional performer in the West End.

Katie Deacon

Katie joined CSBS as a student to strengthen her ballet prior to auditioning for full-time training. She went on to train full time at Central School of Ballet and since graduating has performed as a ballet dancer with the National Theatre Ballet of Brno, English National Ballet: Swan Lake (Royal Albert Hall) and National Ballet of Ireland. She moved from classical ballet into musical theatre starring as Jemima in 'Cats' and then most recently in the award winning 'An American in Paris' in the West End, as well as a number of smaller video and performance projects. Katie has also taught at our annual summer schools and most recently in workshops to start the year. She has a wonderful teaching style and the students are always thoroughly inspired by her approach and performance!

Inaugural winner

Our first ever winner is senior dancer Catherine Bain. Catherine (16) is a student at our South Queensferry branch and studies ballet, jazz and tap as well as being in our Majors programme and being a class helper too. She gained an impressive 90% for her Grade 4 Solo Performance Award in the 2017 Spring exam session. 

Catherine is an accomplished gymnast and coaches at her local club. She also finds time to perform in musical theatre with a number of lead roles in LAMP Children's Theatre, and with Captivate Theatre, including performing in productions as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! She has found Katie's career inspiring and we look forward to watching Catherine continuing to grow as a performer over the next few years!