Thank you Jay Jolley

It was with heavy hearts this month that we said farewell to Jay Jolley.

As our former Acting Artistic Director; Assistant Artistic Director and ballet teacher; Jay retires after 24 years at the School.

He has supported and inspired hundreds of students as a teacher and many thousands more through his pioneering outreach work.

He initiated our Outreach & Access departments and the White Lodge Ballet Museum.

At the Upper School final assembly, Artistic Director Christopher Powney paid tribute to Jay in a speech, thanking him for his service to the School and the artform in front of an audience of Upper School staff and students. The students then presented Jay with a leaving gift and Jay expressed his thanks. He gave the students some parting words of wisdom.

He said: ‘All I want to say to you is: don’t forget to dream. Live for your dream.’

Our heartfelt thanks to Jay for everything he has done for the School during his near-quarter century here – we wish him a very happy retirement.