Biography
Elizabeth Banke began her training at age 8 with The Swedish State Theatre Ballet School and with Teddy & Dorrit Rhodin. Became assistant choreographer to Albert Gaubier at age 16 and opened her own studio as "Dans Studio No. 1" in Malmö, Sweden which served as a spring board to her career as a choreographer in her own right. She choreographed for TV shows, musicals and shows for herself as well as for other dancers and actors. Ms. Banke arrived in the United States in 1990, she opened Dance Studio No.1 in West Los Angeles 1992. It became a home to many dance students and their families, a dance school which focused primarily on children, ages 2 through 19 with programs in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap and show dance. Ms.Banke choreographed and directs at least two annual events for her students each year. Past productions includes: The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Graduation Ball, Chopiniana, Paquita, The Little Match Girl, Elves and the Shoemaker, The Snow Fairies, Peter & the Wolf, The Four Seasons Tales about Tails, Carnival of the Animals, La Boutique Fantastique, Ragtime, Alice in Wonderland, All about Hollywood, Just Dance! In addition, several solos and group pieces from the classical repertoire as well as a number of variety pieces each year to be included in shows for Halloween, Christmas, Spring, Weddings and other special occasions. By providing a vast variety of performance opportunities many DS1 students consistently achieved success in ballet and modern dance competitions. Through the years our students were also accepted to prestigious summer schools all over the U.S and elsewhere such as ABT, AAB, San Francisco Ballet, Lines, Joffrey, Boston Ballet, The Rock, Birger Bartholine's Seminar in Copenhagen, Royal Academy of Dance in London. Ms. Banke joined the prestigious R.A.D in 1997, received her teaching certificate in 2000, and diploma in 2002. She created special DS1 assessments for her students and the "Golden Toe" Award in 2013 & 2014 for the Swedish Dans Studion No.1. She was a founding member for the International Dance Acclaim (IDA) in 2016. Where she still works as a judicator from time to time. Through many well designed teaching programs the DS1 students had the option to take exams in all levels from Pre Primary (age 5) through Solo Seal level (age 16 or above). From 2012 until 2019, 120 of 300 students prepared for and took their examinations or assessments every year. Over her performing career, Ms. Banke danced in such productions as The Merry Widow, Csardasfurstinnan, Sindbad the Sailor and toured Europe in performing lead roles in Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, and Little Shop of Horrors. Ms. Banke was nominated for an international Emmy and for the European equivalent, the Golden Rose, for her role in the widely watched Helt Apropå (a variety show somewhat styled like Saturday Night Live). She thereby became "the funniest girl" in Europe In 1987. Swedish TV celebrated that success with a 25 year reunion program in 2012. The program is considered a pioneer an early version of the many political satire news programs we now see so many of all of the world.
