The owner of the MAER media holding sponsored the education of an entire class at the Central Ballet School

The Central Ballet School "Pre-Academy" presented the second grant class. Ten children were given the opportunity to complete two-year training with the best teachers in the country. The grantee was Konstantin Mayor, founder and CEO of the MAER media holding, member of the Board of Trustees of the Central Ballet School.

Thanks to the support, ten young students aged 9-11 will study under the guidance of the Bolshoi Theater teachers and prepare for admission to the leading academies of choreography in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

"In 2024, I supported the first grant class. We have given children the opportunity to realize themselves regardless of financial possibilities. It became a real success: the children enrolled in the best academies in the country. Now our task is to expand the project and help more children take their first steps into the world of art," said Konstantin Mayor, owner and CEO of the MAER media holding.

This year, all 10 pupils of the first grant class of the "Pre-Academy" successfully passed the competitive selections for choreographic academies and colleges. Four students became students of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, three of them became students of the L.M. Lavrovsky Moscow State Choreographic College, two of them became students of the Ledyakh Choreographic College, and one became a student of the Boris Eifman Dance Academy. This result was made possible thanks to the high level of teaching, the support of parents and the hard work of the students themselves.

The curator of the grant class is Ekaterina Shipulina, Artistic Director of the Central School of Economics, People's Artist of Russia. The class will be taught by Bolshoi Ballet soloist Svetlana Pavlova and Bolshoi Ballet dancer Daria Ostrovskaya. Under their guidance, children will learn classical dance, gymnastics and rhythmic exercises.

"Supporting such initiatives is a huge help to children who dream of getting on the big stages, into choreographic schools and becoming real dancers and ballerinas. We are giving them a chance to take the first but very important steps towards their dream, towards ballet. Our school does not stand still. We have a clear goal — to grow, develop, and rise higher. When you set yourself a high standard, you can't afford to work any other way. This is a path to continuous improvement and new achievements for our students," said Ekaterina Shipulina, People's Artist of Russia, Prima Ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater and Artistic Director of the Central School of Music.