What makes our school unique

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PMDS was founded in 2012 by Maggie Boogaart, former international soloist and choreographer, and Ghislain de Compreignac, former classical soloist.

PMDS brings together the teaching of classical ballet and contemporary dance, and values them equally.

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amateur classes and a pre-professional training school

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The school welcomes amateur children, teenagers and adults, as well as young pre-professionals aged 9 to 21. The same teachers teach both amateurs and pre-professionals, in separate classes, guaranteeing amateurs top-quality teaching and detailed explanations that enable them to make real progress.

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Our techniques are up-to-date and prepare you to dance with ease and fluidity.
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The Balanchine technique brings a significant update to the classical ballet technique, with speed and brilliance. Graham technique is a fundamental foundation for contemporary dance, which we complement for amateurs with release technique and for pre-professionals with Limon, Cunningham and release techniques.

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‍Le Junior Ballet

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Junior Ballet is open to students in their 2nd year of Upper cycle. Some students are allowed to stay on for a 3rd year in the Cycle Supérieur to perfect their stage experience.  

The dancers perform an average of once a month on stage in a theater. They explore the repertoire of the best choreographers, and in particular those of the companies they wish to join.

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Passion, pleasure, sharing the art of dance!

For all our classes classes, whatever the level or objective of the participant, the passion and pleasure of dancing come first. Even if you come as an amateur once a week to our classes classes, which are open to all, you'll enjoy dancing, making progress and developing your self-confidence.

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Principals and head teachers

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Founders and directors : Maggie Boogaart and Ghislain de Compreignac
International patron: Fernando Montano, former soloist with the Royal Ballet (UK)

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In 2012, Maggie Boogaart and Ghislain de Compreignac set up a pre-professional teaching program in response to requests from pre-professional students looking for training to prepare for auditions with dance companies. They then created classes for younger pre-professionals, from the age of 9.

Their passion is to pass on their art to young talents who will make the posters of tomorrow. Boogaart and Compreignac are respectively recognized by the Martha Graham School in New York and the Balanchine School of American Ballet in New York.

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Maggie Boogaart

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Maggie Boogaart has made a career as an international soloist in contemporary dance. Trained at the CODARTS Conservatory in the Netherlands, then graduated from the London Contemporary Dance School in London and the Martha Graham School in New York, she danced for numerous companies in New York, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. She founded her own company and was its choreographer and director for 16 years, while teaching for 12 years at the main conservatories in the Netherlands. Since 2010, she has settled in France where she obtained a double exemption of the State Diploma of Contemporary Dance Teacher for her reputation and experience. Boogaart continues her creations as an independent choreographer.

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Ghislain de Compreignac

Ghislain de Compreignac made a career as a soloist with Ballet du Nord (repertoire Balanchine, directed by Alfonso Cata, ex-assistant to George Balanchine at New York City Ballet); he also collaborated with Maurice Béjart (creation of a pas de deux), and danced with Ballet Royal de Wallonie and several of France's leading companies, Ballet du Rhin, Ballet-Théâtre Français de Nancy, Ballet-Théâtre Joseph Russillo. After graduating in economics and political science and art history, he pursued a career in business, notably in the publishing, internet and consulting sectors. He holds a state teaching diploma from classical ballet. He teaches master classes and sits on juries for international competitions.

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Our vision: excellence, artistry, creativity

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For pre-professionals
in an international atmosphere, with a very personalized approach

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Excellence

To train dancers of national and international level

The clear objective of the professional training is to train young dancers to succeed in auditions in France and internationally. To achieve this, different aspects are developed:
- a limited number of students, limited to 21 in all, to give daily individual attention to the students;
- the search for perfection and technical performance, always given to the artistic expression;
- the development of human qualities, communication, good professional practices;
- the knowledge of the artistic universe and companies at the world level.

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Cross-training: classical ballet and contemporary-Graham

Teaching is based on the two great basic techniques: Classical and Graham (the basis of contemporary dance). The combination of these two complementary techniques gives today's dancers the richest technique for an international career with today's leading choreographers. It enables them to acquire a brilliant style, to increase their virtuosity, creativity and experience on stage . In classical dance, the technique taught is enriched by Balanchine technique and new scientific knowledge linked to intensive training.
Regular teaching includes flow/release/contact techniques and improvisation in contemporary dance.
Guest teachers from different backgrounds regularly bring in other styles, techniques and ways of working, enriching students and enhancing their open-mindedness and adaptability.

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Artistry

Artistic sense and interpretation

Technique without art is a dead letter. The artistic development of each student is paramount. It requires a perfect understanding of the many artistic subtleties of classical ballet and is achieved through the interpretation of classical, neo-classical and contemporary repertoire and creative work.
The program enables you to:
- benefit from the experience and technical and artistic reflection of teachers renowned for their artistic standards, precision, virtuosity, speed and creativity
- discover the benefits of combining the great techniques (Russian, Balanchine, Graham)
- discover the repertoires of Martha Graham and George Balanchine and the great choreographers of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

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Creativity

The program teaches:
- choreographic composition
- improvisation
- music and choreographic analysis,
to prepare dancers to collaborate creatively with choreographers and to produce their own works.

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