Biography

Since 2016, dance has been a huge part of Tony Polo’s life. He began his journey at Dance Studio Scotland in Anniesland. At that time he was 18 years old and had no prior experience, so he felt very out of his depth. However, as time passed he learned that with hard work and determination he was able to do accomplish his ambitions.

Tony’s training at Dance Studio Scotland was very broad, encapsulating various styles of dance including Ballet, Contemporary, Tap and Jazz. He was also able to work with dancers and choreographers from all over the world, most notably in a Merce Cunningham and John Cage project with Julie Cunningham in Glasgow. Alongside his peers he performed a segment from legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham’s piece ‘Second Hand’.

In 2019, Tony auditioned for the Scottish Ballet’s Youth Exchange Programme. He was successful in gaining a place, which allowed him to work with many highly skilled choreographers. He and also had the enviable chance to perform in New York and in Italy as part of the prestigious Torino Danza Festival.

Tony says he has had some of the best experiences of his life through dance, including being featured in a professional music video for the song ‘Magnetic’ by Seafret and performing on stage as part of the annual show with Dance Studio Scotland entitled ‘Pulse’.

Tony has also had the opportunity to teach. As part of a work placement, he shadowed staff at the Scottish Ballet while they taught classes to people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. In the final week he was also able to teach his own class, and found the experience to be incredibly touching.

After graduating with an A from Dance Studio Scotland, Tony auditioned and gained a place at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. He hopes in the future be part of a touring contemporary dance company.

How the Award Helped

Tony’s Award supported his studies at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.