Royal Ballet Lower School student features in forthcoming ITV1 documentary

Described as ‘a celebratory portrait of Britain’s kids’ a forthcoming TV documentary entitled ‘The Kids Are Alright’, featuring White Lodge student Sam Lee, is to be broadcast on ITV1 Wednesday 22 June at 10.35pm.

Created by Mentorn Media - one the UK’s foremost independent television production companies – and based on an idea by award-winning film maker Antony Thomas, the film focuses on the lives and extraordinary achievements of several young people in this country, one of whom is White Lodge student Sam Lee from Dagenham.

Sam was introduced to dance through The Royal Ballet School’s primarySTEPS programme, an initiative designed to introduce young people to dance for the first time in parts of the country where access to the Arts in general and dance in particular is difficult. In September 2010, Sam became the first-ever primarySTEPS participant to become a full-time student of The Royal Ballet School.

‘The Kids Are Alright’ can be watched at www.itv.com/itvplayer for 30 days after the transmission date.

Background to primarySTEPS
In 2004, a new dimension to The Royal Ballet School’s engagement with the general public was born with the launch of the Dance Partnership and Access Programme.

This remarkable initiative has enabled the School to grant access to the art form across a wide community spectrum from five national centres in Dagenham, Swindon, Blackpool, Bury St Edmunds and Mansfield. In particular, the programme works with primary and secondary schools to engage thousands of young people in dance for the first time.

One of the key projects is primarySTEPS. This provides an introduction to dance for 1,500 children each year and initial dance training for up to 250 children aged 7 – 11 years.

For more information about the work of the Dance Partnership and Access programme, visit: www.royalballetschool.co.uk/dpa

Image: courtesy of Mentorn Media