The Escuela ArtÍstic Oriol Martorell Institute in Barcelona
The Escuela Artístic Oriol Martorell Institute in Barcelona is a publicly owned Center in Barcelona in which students from all over Catalonia come together to study.
It is also the only centre in Catalonia and Spain where students complete their primary education with integrated dance or music courses, as well as secondary and higher education combined with a professional degree in dance or music.
The purpose is to not only facilitate the training of future dance and music professionals in Spain (dancers, musicians, choreographers, dance or music educators …) but also to spread interest in culture among people who choose different career paths.
The Centre was founded in 1997 and has always combined basic and artistic education. It currently comprises 8 dance rooms, 4 of which are equipped with professional Harlequin performance floors including Harlequin Flexity sprung floor and the dance vinyls Harlequin Cascade, Harlequin Studio and Harlequin Reversible Pro.
The academic year of 2016/17 saw the integration of the Professional Dance Degree with secondary studies. Thanks to a good management and teaching team full of enthusiasm and professionalism, the IEA Oriol Martorell has been built up step by step. Of the 143 teachers, 40 are dance professionals. Of the 229 dance students, 132 are studying for a professional degree.
The IEA Oriol Martorell project encompasses classical and contemporary dance, accompanying the students throughout their artistic, academic and personal training with a strong focus on health and a comprehensive training.
The aim of the Center is to instill in the future professional dancers a love of dance, the values of teamwork and a commitment to daily practise, perseverance and effort.
This will help them to achieve the objectives that they set themselves and to overcome any obstacles along the way to professional and personal success. To achieve this successfully, good communication between students and teachers as well as a sense of empathy are necessary. By educating in the present, we improve the future.
Photos: Mónica Lou
