Jessica Saund began her early dance studies with California Ballet, and continued her training on full scholarship at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC. In 1996, she joined the Washington School of Ballet under the direction of Mary Day. That same year, Ms. Saund took the Gold Medal in the junior division at the 2nd International Ballet Competition in South America. In 1999, she was invited to dance with Le Jeune Ballet de France in Paris before joining the English National Ballet, where she remained for 5 years.