Grace & Poise: A Muslim ballet school in the UK

Grace & Poise Academy is a Muslim ballet school with a unique syllabus where students dance to poetry, not music, expectations of female modesty among parents, teachers and students are met and attention is paid to Islamic theology and morals. While cultivating Islamic adab (etiquette), akhlaq (ethics) and Islamic pedagogies, the academy is also inspired by classical ballet training and alternative holistic educational traditions. The result is both traditionalist and progressive, and points to a possible future for Islamic creativity, signalling openings rather than closures. The research for this article is based on interviews, media analyses and participant observation.