Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
TWINKLE-TOED teenager Maya Shaban is all set to leap and twirl into the next chapter of her stage career after achieving a coveted scholarship to one of the most prestigious dance academies in the UK.
The talented former Bahrain schoolgirl recently graduated from the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, famed for helping many British stars of screen and stage forge successful showbiz careers. She has now been accepted on a full scholarship to The Urdang Academy in London, a conservatoire of dance and musical theatre.
The academy offers vocational training for young performers from the age of 16 to become ‘strong, disciplined and confident’ entertainers. “Getting into Urdang was my dream and I have achieved it!” said Maya. “Now I need to continue working really hard to improve and become the best I can be.”
Maya, whose parents are British and Bahraini, aspires to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed teenage American actress, model and dancer Maddie Zeiglar, and has been working towards stage success ever since she stepped out as a toddler at the Victoria Dance studios in Janabiya which are run by her mother.
“I was born into dance and I love all styles although my favourites are jazz and lyrical,” she told GulfWeekly. “In fact, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t!”
Maya started her education in Bahrain at Lilliput Pre-School and moved to Nadeen School in Adliya before winning a place at the English theatre school which has turned out a string of stars of stage and screen.
“It wasn’t easy leaving my 11-year-old in London five years ago,” said Victoria. “It was Maya’s decision to follow in my footsteps and I am just so very proud of her achievements. Maya had always been in the studio from the day she came home from the maternity ward.
“One day, when she was about nine, I noticed that she was really working and showing promise so we went to London to visit the Royal Academy of Dance and I asked them to assess her.
“They suggested we audition for The Royal Ballet School but Maya didn’t want to just focus on ballet. She loved her jazz, tap and singing too, so we also auditioned for Sylvia’s and here we are.”
Maya’s dad, Bahraini Anwar, is equally proud of their daughter’s achievements,
The Sylvia Young Theatre School has more than 30 years of experience training youngsters for stage and screen careers.
During her time as a pupil, Maya has performed in several leading shows. She appeared for one year in the sell-out West End production of Billy Elliot in the role of Susan Parks, alongside global superstar Robbie Williams at the London Palladium. Maya has also appeared in a national advertising campaign on TV and billboards to raise awareness and funds for Syrian refugees during Ramadan across the UK.
Now Maya will be joining aspiring young artistes at the Urdang Academy located in Central London within the stunning landmark building, The Old Finsbury Town Hall. Its rich Victorian heritage provides an inspiring backdrop for students to train with spacious studios and well-equipped facilities.
The excited teenager, who recently spent the summer visiting her parents in Bahrain before jetting back to London, is ready to take on her new challenge and advises other young dancers with a similar dream to stay dedicated and determined.
“It was sometimes difficult to balance my school work with the amount of dancing I was doing but you just have to get on with it and get it all done,” she admitted. “Sometimes I had to get up really early to finish my homework before I went to school. My advice for other aspiring dancers is to work hard and go to as many different classes as you can.”
