aDvANCE
Secondary School Partnership Scheme
The scheme aims to widen access to the unique resources of The Royal Ballet School by establishing partnership with Specialist Schools. Through this scheme the School hopes to develop dialogue between groups of young people with differing skills and experiences; explore creativity through the medium of ballet and dance; and provide a forum through which to share the resources and skills of partner schools with pupils from both establishments.
Participating schools are invited to select from a menu of activities designed to introduce pupils to ballet and The Royal Ballet School:
- Demonstration of ballet training by pupils of The Royal Ballet School.
- Creative dance workshop at their school exploring aspects of the ballet genre.
- Introductory ballet workshop at their school.
- Visit to see The Royal Ballet School students and local Specialist School pupils in performance.
- Visit to the White Lodge Museum and Ballet Resource Centre.
This programme is designed for GCSE or A Level dance pupils (or equivalent) or gifted and talented dance groups.
“Our students were very excited and honoured at being offered the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious project”
Maggie Clunie, Hornsey School for Girls
“Apart from the leotard and tights, they are just like us”
Barking Abbey School Student
London Projects: read more
General Information
aDvANCE London 1 is designed for GCSE and A-Level dance students from a selected Specialist School or Academy in the London area, and 1st year students from The Royal Ballet Upper School. The project aims to explore creativity through the medium of ballet and dance by working with a choreographer to create a joint dance performance piece. A Royal Ballet School choreographer works with both groups independently for 12 weeks, and they also work collaboratively in two full day choreographic workshops at The Royal Ballet School. The project culminates in two performances of an original dance piece, alongside other work from both schools, in the Linden Studio Theatre at The Royal Ballet Upper School.
aDvANCE London 2 follows a similar model to aDvANCE 1, but is designed for Year 10 dance students from a selected Specialist School in the London area and Year 10 Royal Ballet Lower School students. This project also culminates in two performances of an original dance piece, one in The Margot Fonteyn Theatre at The Royal Ballet Lower School, and one at a local venue to the specialist school / Academy.
Project Details
aDvANCE London 1, October 2010 - February 2011
A collaborative project with Royal Ballet School 1st years and students from Feltham Community College.
The Royal Ballet School 1st years are aged 16-17 and study classical ballet and related disciplines such as Pas de Deux, Solos, Repertoire, Character, Contemporary, Body Conditioning and Gym work for male students. They will also complete one A-level and two BTEC National Awards in Performing Arts.
Feltham is a mixed secondary school in Middlesex with 1200 students and has Specialist Sports status. This allows them to benefit from excellent sports facilities and fantastic ICT. Dance is taught in Years 7-9 and is also offered as a GCSE subject. This year, students in the sixth form are able to choose A-Level Dance for the first time.
The students worked for 12 weeks with Artist in Education Bim Malcomson, who was assisted by Suzanne Thomas. Together, they produced a piece called England, which drew inspiration from English ballet heritage, in particular the work of Ninette de Valois. The piece was showcased alongside work from both schools in two performances at The Royal Ballet Upper School.
aDvANCE London 2, January - May 2011
A collaborative project with Royal Ballet School Year 10s and students from Hampton Academy.
Year 10 students at The Royal Ballet School are just starting their GCSE curriculum, like any other student their age, but in addition they study classical ballet and related subjects such as Character, Contemporary, Irish, Morris and Scottish dancing, and Repertoire, Solos, Pas de Deux and Upper Body training for male students. From time to time students of the Lower School perform with The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet in performance.
Hampton Academy entered its second year in September 2011. They run a unique model of education, based around a three college system, which allows students and teachers to get to know one another more quickly than the traditional secondary school. Hampton specialises in Performing Arts and Communication offering a wide range of accredited arts courses, including the Creative & Media Diploma, BTECs in Acting and Sport (includes Dance), and GCSEs in Music, Art, Textiles, Dance and Drama. All students study at least one arts and performance subject to 16.
The students worked for 12 weeks with choreographer Rhian Robbins, who was assisted by Artist in Education Bim Malcomson and ex Random dancer Antoine Vereecken. Together, they produced a piece called You Never Can Tell, which drew inspiration from the classical architecture of The Royal Ballet Lower School, White Lodge. The piece was showcased alongside work from both schools in two performances at The Royal Ballet Lower School.
aDvANCE London 1 is designed for GCSE and A-Level dance students from a selected Specialist School or Academy in the London area, and 1st year students from The Royal Ballet Upper School. The project aims to explore creativity through the medium of ballet and dance by working with a choreographer to create a joint dance performance piece. A Royal Ballet School choreographer works with both groups independently for 12 weeks, and they also work collaboratively in two full day choreographic workshops at The Royal Ballet School. The project culminates in two performances of an original dance piece, alongside other work from both schools, in the Linden Studio Theatre at The Royal Ballet Upper School.
aDvANCE London 2 follows a similar model to aDvANCE 1, but is designed for Year 10 dance students from a selected Specialist School in the London area and Year 10 Royal Ballet Lower School students. This project also culminates in two performances of an original dance piece, one in The Margot Fonteyn Theatre at The Royal Ballet Lower School, and one at a local venue to the specialist school / Academy.
Project Details
aDvANCE London 1, October 2010 - February 2011
A collaborative project with Royal Ballet School 1st years and students from Feltham Community College.
The Royal Ballet School 1st years are aged 16-17 and study classical ballet and related disciplines such as Pas de Deux, Solos, Repertoire, Character, Contemporary, Body Conditioning and Gym work for male students. They will also complete one A-level and two BTEC National Awards in Performing Arts.
Feltham is a mixed secondary school in Middlesex with 1200 students and has Specialist Sports status. This allows them to benefit from excellent sports facilities and fantastic ICT. Dance is taught in Years 7-9 and is also offered as a GCSE subject. This year, students in the sixth form are able to choose A-Level Dance for the first time.
The students worked for 12 weeks with Artist in Education Bim Malcomson, who was assisted by Suzanne Thomas. Together, they produced a piece called England, which drew inspiration from English ballet heritage, in particular the work of Ninette de Valois. The piece was showcased alongside work from both schools in two performances at The Royal Ballet Upper School.
aDvANCE London 2, January - May 2011
A collaborative project with Royal Ballet School Year 10s and students from Hampton Academy.
Year 10 students at The Royal Ballet School are just starting their GCSE curriculum, like any other student their age, but in addition they study classical ballet and related subjects such as Character, Contemporary, Irish, Morris and Scottish dancing, and Repertoire, Solos, Pas de Deux and Upper Body training for male students. From time to time students of the Lower School perform with The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet in performance.
Hampton Academy entered its second year in September 2011. They run a unique model of education, based around a three college system, which allows students and teachers to get to know one another more quickly than the traditional secondary school. Hampton specialises in Performing Arts and Communication offering a wide range of accredited arts courses, including the Creative & Media Diploma, BTECs in Acting and Sport (includes Dance), and GCSEs in Music, Art, Textiles, Dance and Drama. All students study at least one arts and performance subject to 16.
The students worked for 12 weeks with choreographer Rhian Robbins, who was assisted by Artist in Education Bim Malcomson and ex Random dancer Antoine Vereecken. Together, they produced a piece called You Never Can Tell, which drew inspiration from the classical architecture of The Royal Ballet Lower School, White Lodge. The piece was showcased alongside work from both schools in two performances at The Royal Ballet Lower School.
National Projects: read moreProject Details
aDvANCE National, November 2010 - May 2011
This year we worked to maintain the Gifted & Talented Groups in each of our partner schools in Dagenham, Swindon, Blackpool, Bury St Edmunds and Mansfield. With help from Dance Partnership & Access artists, the groups worked to produce an original piece of dance, which was performed alongside Fractals by The Royal Ballet School Graduates at the Upper School in May. The pieces were also performed locally in each of their own areas, either in school dance shows or performance platforms. This work continues to be supported by our other partners in each of the areas, including: Swindon Dance, DanceEast, and Dance 4.
aDvANCE National, November 2010 - May 2011
This year we worked to maintain the Gifted & Talented Groups in each of our partner schools in Dagenham, Swindon, Blackpool, Bury St Edmunds and Mansfield. With help from Dance Partnership & Access artists, the groups worked to produce an original piece of dance, which was performed alongside Fractals by The Royal Ballet School Graduates at the Upper School in May. The pieces were also performed locally in each of their own areas, either in school dance shows or performance platforms. This work continues to be supported by our other partners in each of the areas, including: Swindon Dance, DanceEast, and Dance 4.