Kenneth MacMillan Emerging Choreographer 2019 On Thursday 12 December, Year 10 and 11 students presented their choreographic creations as part of the Kenneth MacMillan Emerging Choreographer programme. The performances were the culmination of several months’ of preparation for the nine shortlisted choreographers. After the performance, a panel of experts including Ashley Page, Andrew McNicol, Emma […]

Students celebrate alumna Leanne Benjamin AM OBE Three of our Australian students were invited to celebrate the achievements of Royal Ballet School alumna and former Royal Ballet Principal dancer Leanne Benjamin AM OBE this week at the Leanne Benjamin AM OBE Recital evening. The students, Mason, Meg, and Ruby, are all supported by the Tait

Christopher Rodrigues CBE is appointed Chairman of The Royal Ballet School The Royal Ballet School has appointed esteemed businessman Christopher Rodrigues CBE to be its new Chairman from January 2020. The current Chairman, The Duchess of Wellington OBE will step down in the New Year after ten years in post. Christopher Rodrigues has enjoyed a

Ballet training: how much is enough? A thinkpiece by Mark Annear, Head of Training & Access at The Royal Ballet School For as long as I have been involved in auditioning students for vocational training I have been asked: ‘how much should my child be doing before an audition?’ My answer is usually ‘no more

Remembering Maria Fay by Amanda Maxwell, former Character dance teacher at The Royal Ballet School The Hungarian teacher Maria Fay, who had a significant association with The Royal Ballet School, died on 17 October aged 91. To many dancers and ballet companies around the world, since her flight from the Hungarian Uprising in 1956, Maria

Valerie Adams FRAD 1935-2019 We were deeply saddened to hear the news that Valerie Adams FRAD died earlier this week. Valerie was an alumna of the School and the founder of our Teachers’ Training Course in 1964. Her legacy will live on at the School as her work continues to inspire our great teachers. Our

Dame Darcey Bussell DBE is made Artist Laureate of The Royal Ballet School Former student Dame Darcey Bussell DBE has been awarded the honorary title of Artist Laureate of The Royal Ballet School in recognition of her continuous contribution to the School and to ballet. The title has been created especially for Dame Darcey to

Prize-giving assemblies 2019 Last week, students from across the School were recognised for their artistic and academic achievements at prize giving assemblies. On Thursday 11 July, there were also some special prizes and scholarships announced at White Lodge: Scarlett Harvey and Caspar Lench were presented with The April Olrich Award, kindly supported and presented by

Julia Farron OBE (1922-2019) It is with great sadness we learnt of the death of alumna and former teacher Julia Farron OBE (1922-2019) this week. Julia was the first scholarship student of the Sadler’s Wells (later The Royal) Ballet School, joining the School in 1931 and the Company five years later, aged just 15. She