For many years, The Royal Ballet School has inspired and supported young dancers across the UK through its Primary Steps programme. The national junior school programme provides students aged 7-11 (Years 3-6) with a positive introduction to ballet. Some children who take part in the programme also receive initial creative ballet training.
The Royal Ballet School stages workshops and demonstrations for students at its partner primary schools each year. In October 2023, the School delivered inspiring demonstrations to students from schools in Bury St Edmunds, Blackpool, Cardiff, Dagenham, Mansfield, and Swindon.
Primary Steps: Expanding Access to Creative Ballet Education
The Royal Ballet School believes every child should be able to access the arts. The School continually works to create opportunities for young people and adults to engage with ballet. In particular, the School looks to improve access routes to ballet in areas with little access to arts education.
The Primary Steps programme has opened up access to creative ballet education to thousands of children, including those living in economically, socially, and culturally diverse areas. Many Primary Steps participants may not have otherwise had opportunities to experience ballet.
Various supporters, including the Department of Education, fund the programme, which works through national partnerships with:
- A national dance agency.
- A host secondary school.
- A cluster of five to seven primary and junior schools.
Primary Steps comprises two parts: autumn workshops and after-school classes.
Primary Steps Autumn Workshops
The Royal Ballet School hosts a continuing professional development (CPD) day for Year 3 teachers from 34 participating schools each autumn term. These teachers’ students receive five creative ballet workshops, which specialist Royal Ballet School staff lead.
Each of the participating schools then receives five more creative ballet workshops for all Year 3 students. The schools also receive CPD and resource materials to support dance classes.
On top of this, students take part in an interactive ballet training demonstration by Royal Ballet School students. Upper School students (aged 16 and above) and Junior Associate students (aged 10-11) perform these demonstrations locally. The Associate Programme offers pre-vocational classical ballet training to gifted students aged 8-17.
The Royal Ballet School recently gave demonstrations at its six Primary Steps centres in England and Wales. The creative workshops allowed primary school students to see Pre-professional students from The Royal Ballet School and Junior Associate dancers on stage. This was the first time many of the Year 3 students had seen ballet performed live.
The School’s Associate Programme and Primary Steps Artistic Manager Victoria Collinson calls the Primary Steps demonstrations a “real highlight” of the autumn workshop season. She says the demonstrations give context to what students have been learning in their school workshops.
“It is thrilling to hear gasps of amazement when they see the Pre-professional students perform pirouette sequences, grand allegro, and pas de deux,” Collinson shares. Year 3 students also enjoy watching the Junior Associate dancers.
Collinson adds that the demonstration classes are “a brilliant way” for the School to engage with young children and “inspire them to keep dancing even after the workshop season has finished.”
Primary Steps After-School Classes
Following the workshops, selected Year 3 students go on to take part in weekly creative ballet classes. Students can participate in these classes for up to four years (up to the age of 11).
Co-led by a classical ballet specialist and a creative dance specialist, these after-school classes take place at the students’ host secondary school. Students learn new dance skills and develop their creative knowledge through foundation ballet techniques in a supportive environment. Additionally, a professional musician provides live musical accompaniment.
After Primary Steps
Once students complete the programme, The Royal Ballet School offers advice on how they can continue their dance journeys and progress with their training. Children may choose to undertake vocational or pre-vocational dance training at the local or national level.
For example, some Primary Steps graduates have undertaken pre-vocational training at Centres for Advanced Training at The Lowry, The Place, Dance4, DanceEast, and Swindon Dance. Others have begun vocational training at The Royal Ballet School, Moorland International Ballet Academy, and Elmhurst Ballet School.
Primary Steps on Demand
Following the success of the Primary Steps programme, The Royal Ballet School launched Primary Steps on Demand. The user-friendly digital programme allows primary schools to fulfil their curriculum dance requirement and teach dance with confidence to students aged 7-11.
Schools can access Primary Steps on Demand through The Royal Ballet School’s video-on-demand platform. The online programme includes video classes on core ballet concepts and cross-curricular themes. Schools also receive movement guides, lesson plans, and other helpful resources when they sign up for the 12-month programme.
Schools can sign up for Primary Steps on Demand at any time during the year.
The Varied Benefits of the Primary Steps Programme
The Primary Steps programme has inspired many children to pursue dance training and develop a passion for ballet. On top of this, Primary Steps offers students and primary schools a host of other benefits, such as:
- Dance education support for participating schools. These primary and junior schools benefit from The Royal Ballet School’s unique resources and expertise.
- Valuable opportunities for students to experience dance creation and performance.
- Connections to local dance infrastructure and training opportunities for participants and their families.
In addition, the programme enlightens and informs schools and families about the benefits of creative dance education. The Royal Ballet School believes creative dance is essential for enriching the curriculum. Creative dance can also promote learning through movement, leading to improved health and well-being and enhanced academic and social skills.
Learn more about the Primary Steps programme.
About The Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most celebrated centres for classical ballet training in the world. It attracts dancers with extraordinary potential from the UK and overseas.
The School admits students to its full-time training based on their classical ballet talent and potential. Auditions never take academic ability or personal circumstances into account. On average, 88% of students rely on financial support to attend the School.
Dame Ninette de Valois founded The Royal Ballet School in 1926. For almost 100 years, the School has contributed to The Royal Ballet’s rich heritage and produced generations of internationally renowned dancers and choreographers.
Ballet greats like Margot Fonteyn, Kenneth MacMillan, David Wall, Antoinette Sibley, Darcey Bussell, and Marguerite Porter are former students of the School. Recent alumni creating an impact globally include William Bracewell, Francesca Hayward, Steven McRae, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Christopher Wheeldon, and Marcelino Sambé.
The Royal Ballet School promotes academic and artistic excellence. Students receive the comprehensive support they need to succeed in classical ballet and other professional careers. Many graduates go on to work with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and other top UK and international companies.
On top of this, the School spreads awareness of the benefits of dance. Its dedicated in-person and online programmes allow dance students, primary school children, and members of the public to experience and take part in classical ballet.
In addition, the School’s comprehensive teacher training programmes set the standard for the future of classical ballet training worldwide. Through these programmes, teachers learn to provide outstanding training in vocational and recreational dance.
