the royal ballet shool , NY

MISSION AND AIMS

Our mission is to train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers for The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and other top international dance companies, and in doing so to set the standards in dance training, nationally and internationally. The School offers an eight-year carefully structured dance course, aligned with an extensive academic programme, giving the students the best possible education to equip them for a career in the world of dance.

OUR GOALS ARE TO:

• Provide, in a caring environment, artistic and academic training of the highest possible calibre, offering all students of the School a positive learning experience which is constantly monitored for potential improvement.
• Achieve recognised accreditation for the vocational curriculum.
• Offer students as many performing opportunities as possible.
• Ensure that the students have close practical and artistic access to Royal Ballet companies.
• Maintain a high employment rate of graduating dancers, with many being recruited to The Royal Ballet or Birmingham Royal Ballet.
• Expand the international exposure of the students of the School by participating in international competitions and festivals.
• Develop new state-of-the-art, purpose built facilities which will enhance the teaching and learning opportunities for the students.
• Conduct an extensive Audition and Outreach programme.

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Royal Ballet School enjoys worldwide recognition as a renowned institution for classical ballet training. Its Royal Charter, linking it with the Royal Ballet Companies, assures its purpose and its commitment to excellence.
The founding of the school came in 1926, when Dame Ninette de Valois opened her Academy of Choreographic Art. Inspired to create a repertory ballet company and school, she collaborated with Lilian Baylis, lessee and Manager of the Old Vic Theatre.  When Lilian Baylis acquired the Sadler's Wells Theatre, de Valois moved the School there in 1931 and it became The Vic-Wells Ballet School feeding dancers into The Vic-Wells Ballet Company. In 1939 the school was re-named The Sadler's Wells Ballet School and the Company became The Sadler's Wells Ballet. In 1946 The Sadler's Wells ballet moved to a permanent home at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. A second company was formed, The Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. In 1947 the School moved from Sadler's Wells Theatre to Barons Court and general education was, at last, combined with vocational ballet training. The Lower School moved to White Lodge, Richmond Park in 1955/56 and became residential, combining general education and vocational ballet training. The Upper School remained at Barons Court. The Royal Charter was granted in October 1956 and the School and companies were renamed The Royal Ballet School, The Royal Ballet and the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet (later renamed Birmingham Royal Ballet following its move there in 1990). From that time the School has become both the leading classical ballet school in the United Kingdom earning government support and an international institution which attracts the very best ballet students worldwide. In January 2003 the Upper School moved to new premises in Floral Street, alongside London's Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. The state of the art studios are linked to The Royal Ballet by the award winning Bridge of Aspiration thus fulfilling Madam's dream to have Company and School side by side in the centre of London.

LOWER SCHOOL

Students 11-16 years
A former Royal hunting lodge, White Lodge became home to The Royal Ballet Lower School in 1955. Since the School moved to the site, there has been continuous development of its facilities in order to keep it at the forefront of ballet training in the UK. The Lower School has recently undergone an extensive three year redevelopment totalling £22m. This has provided the site with two new dance studios, the extension of a third studio, state of the art accommodation facilities for the 126 students that reside within the School grounds, a new Dining Hall as well as major works to the original building, nearly 300 years of age. You can read more on the redevelopment of White Lodge by clicking here.
There are now 6 studios, one of which is the Fonteyn Studio Theatre, named after Margot Fonteyn, one of the School's first and most illustrious graduates. The Fonteyn Studio Theatre converts from a fully equipped theatre with a seating capacity of 250, into one large studio or two smaller ones. Recreational facilities at White Lodge include an indoor heated swimming pool, a tennis/netball court, and a small football pitch. The student common rooms provide darts, snooker, table tennis and television.
There is private residential accommodation for both boys and girls in the main building and also in the new boarding blocks that were completed in 2006. Each dormitory area has its own bathroom and common room facilities. Designated members of the residential house-staff oversee routines and care for each student under their supervision.

UPPER SCHOOL

Students 16-18 years
The Upper School is in Floral Street, Covent Garden adjacent to the Royal Opera House and is linked by a spectacular bridge spanning Floral Street at fourth floor level, providing the students with safe and easy access to The Royal Ballet. The four-storey building provides six air-conditioned, state of the art studios, one of which doubles as a performance studio with retractable seating for 200. To support the studios the School provides full changing and shower rooms for male and female students, a gym/body fitness room, a pilates studio, physiotherapy suite and students common room. The education area consists of four classrooms supported by a comprehensive library, the latest computer equipment, art studio and audiovisual suite, all of which are located on the fourth floor to take advantage of the natural daylight. All studios are linked to the audiovisual suite so that classes and rehearsals can be recorded, enabling both students and staff to enhance technique and performance quality. The studios in Covent Garden ensure that our Upper School students enjoy the very best facilities, and that The Royal Ballet School remains one of the foremost classical ballet schools worldwide.

The nine specialist Music and Dance Schools are funded by the UK government and offer the finest training in Great Britain.

What we offer?

Each of the schools offers:

• Means-tested bursaries up to 100%
• Full time specialist training
• Academic education to A Level/Higher Grade
• Boarding and day places
• Places for boys and girls ranging from 8 – 19

Did you know?

• We aim to nurture exceptional talent by offering the finest training available
• Each school offers a strong academic education underpinned by a supportive pastoral environment
• The majority of students receive generous financial support from the UK government
• Applying is easy. Entrance is by audition

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  FULL-TIME UPPER AND LOWER SCHOOLS

  ASSOCIATE PROGRAMMES

  INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL

  OUTREACH EVENTS