Record number of applicants for International Summer School 2011

The Royal Ballet School’s International Summer School enters its second week today, with students preparing for the final demonstrations this Saturday which take place simultaneously at both White Lodge and at the Upper School. The demonstrations give participants the valuable opportunity of presenting, in front of an audience of parents, teachers and friends, what they have learned and how they have developed during their Summer School experience.

This year, 1,403 aspiring young artists aged 10 -18 applied for places, including almost 440 from the regions and nations of the United Kingdom. A record total of 55 different countries were represented among applicants, including first-ever applications from Bosnia, Croatia, Macau, Mauritius, Serbia, Tanzania and Venezuela.

The Summer School is held at the Lower School, Richmond Park and at the Upper School in London’s Covent Garden. It continues to grow as one of the key dance training courses on the international dance circuit and an opportunity to share the resources and expertise of the School with as many people as possible.

The 349 students offered places are given one or two weeks of intensive classes in classical ballet together with sessions focussing on other styles of dance including contemporary, musical theatre and creative dance.

The young dancers benefit from teaching and coaching of the highest standard. Complementing The Royal Ballet School’s own regular teachers, this year’s guest teachers include the distinguished teacher from the Paris Opera Ballet School, Francesca Zumbo and Federico Bonelli, Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet.

Information about the International Summer School 2012, including application forms, will be available from September 2011 from the website of The Royal Ballet School.

Pictured: Federico Bonelli teaches the Summer School’s boys at the Upper School, Covent Garden.

Photo: Johan Persson