TANIA FAIRBAIRN
FISTD, BPhil (Hons), Dip RBS (TTC), ARAD, BENESH (Teaching Cert)
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ABOUT
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Tania trained at the Arts Educational School, Tring and The Royal Ballet School’s Teachers' Training Course under Valerie Adams. She gained a BPhil (Hons) in Dance and Contextual Studies at Durham University and has studied Sports Science with Stonebridge Distance Learning. In 2025, Tania was awarded the FISTD.
Tania has danced with Alexander Roy’s London Ballet Theatre, Northern Ballet Theatre and Scottish Ballet before moving to London's West End musicals where she performed in the stage productions of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘42nd St', and ‘On Your Toes’.
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As an internationally renowned classical ballet teacher, Tania continues to share her passion for dance pedagogy through her caring and nurturing approach.
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"I believe that in order to create the optimal learning environment the atmosphere needs to be conducive for maximising good communication and respect between all parties. I believe that providing opportunities for improvement with structure and motivation enables the dancer to maximise improvement and find confidence in their ability within a nurturing environment"
TEACHING
Tania is an international Classical Ballet Teacher whose work includes regular guest teaching for professional dance companies and international schools. ​Tania's regular teaching includes:
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Resident Classical Faculty for European School of Ballet, Amsterdam
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Guest Ballet Master for Delattre Dance Company, Mainz
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Guest Teacher AED Dance, Livorno
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Italian Judge for CND Confederation Nationale de Danse
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Resident Teacher for Elite Professional Training Course at Ateneo Danza, Forli
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Talent Scount for ITA on tour
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Ballet and Character Teacher for RAD Italia
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Guest Teacher Danza Scuola Ghezzi, Pisa
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Guest Teacher Stage Centro Danza, Palermo
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Masterclasses for Global Dance Open
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Masterclasses for Ballet Grand Prix, Scotland
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Freelance Teacher Ballet Boost, UK
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Guest Ballet Master York Dance Project
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Guest Ballet Master New English Ballet Theatre
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In 2025, Tania was awarded the Fellowship of the Cecchetti Society, ISTD.
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Tania taught at The Royal Ballet School as a classical ballet and character dance teacher for many years and was a Tutor for Teacher Training. Tania has been recognised for her choreographic work, particularly her Character Dances that have been staged in theatres including The Royal Opera House, Opera Holland Park and The Linbury Theatre.
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Prior to The Royal Ballet School Tania spent 15 years teaching at Central School of Ballet as Head of the Junior school and choreographed the character dancers for Christopher Gable’s production of Swan Lake for Northern Ballet Theatre. Whilst at Central School of Ballet, she founded the 'Recovery from Injury' class and worked with the school's physiotherapist in injury prevention and rehabilitation. Tania continued her coaching classes whilst at the Royal Ballet School. ​
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TESTIMONIALS
"A gifted dancer with stage experience, she is an excellent teacher and has an unusually broad view of character dance, as she worked with several experts from abroad as well as with Virginia Parkinson, Valerie Sunderland and myself..."
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- Maria Fay in "My Approach to Character Dance"
"Tania is one of the most quietest, calmest, most serene teachers I've ever met. She could talk to 30 people in the same pleasant tone of voice that she would talk to one person, and something in the calmness she exuded made everyone else quiet and receptive too. She said once,
" I don't like having to raise my voice in a class because if I raise my voice and start calling you to order, it creates an atmosphere which goes against the spirit of dance I'm trying to teach you, and if that happens, then the point of teaching is lost."
- Jonathan Still
"Ballet mistress Tania Fairbairn has a gift for making her Year 7 girls smile...'Have courage!' She reminds them that falling over is OK. You learn more by crumbling in a heap than by doing it perfectly first time'
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- The Spectator, written by Laura Freeman
"All those wonderful mazurkas, czardas and other national dances, which are now so beautifully taught at the Royal Ballet School by Tania Fairbairn, help give such style, carriage and musicality to the student."
Sir Peter Wright with Paul Arrowsmith book,'Wrights & Wrong'
Photo Credits:
Christian Piccini
Caterina Ferrari