The Royal Ballet School has completed its 2024 Primary Steps introductory workshop demonstrations. Year 3 children at primary schools in Blackpool, Bury St Edmunds, Dagenham, Mansfield, and Swindon attended these demos. They learnt from Junior Associate and Pre-professional students, who gave the demos on behalf of the world-class ballet training centre.
Having received these demos, the children are now enjoying five weeks of creative workshops. When these workshops finish, the School will invite several of the children to join the Primary Steps Programme.
Bringing Ballet to Children Across the UK
The Royal Ballet School is dedicated to ensuring that children have access to dance education, both classical and creative. To reach this vision, the School created Primary Steps. Funded by supporters like the Department for Education, this national junior school programme gives thousands of children in years 3-6 an introduction to ballet.
The programme promotes social, economic, and cultural diversity by providing dance education in various towns and cities across the UK. Children who partake may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn dance.
In addition to developing as dancers, these children enjoy many additional benefits of dance, which include enhanced health and well-being and social and academic skills.
How The Primary Steps Programme Works
Introductory Workshops
Each year, Primary Steps kicks off in the autumn term. Year 3 teachers from the programme’s 34 participating schools attend a continuing professional development (CPD) day at The Royal Ballet School.
Each school then receives five creative ballet workshops for year 3 children. A classical ballet specialist and a creative dance specialist teach the workshops together. They shape the children’s foundational ballet techniques and pique their creativity, encouraging them to express themselves through movement. A professional musician also accompanies each class.
On top of this, the participating schools receive CPD and resource materials to support dance classes. They also receive an interactive demonstration of ballet training from Royal Ballet School students. These students are Upper School dancers, who are aged 16+, and Junior Associate dancers, who are aged 10-11.
The Primary Steps Programme
After the introductory workshops, selected children from years 3-6 attend regular creative ballet classes at their host secondary school. For a nominal weekly fee, they receive a dance uniform with shoes and attend weekly classes. Royal Ballet School teachers lead these classes while a musician plays for the children.
Children also make the most of opportunities to see Royal Ballet School students in training and professional dancers performing. They visit local and regional dance providers and also get to perform themselves, both locally and at The Royal Ballet School.
Once children have completed the Primary Steps Programme, The Royal Ballet School helps them access local and national vocational and pre-vocational dance training opportunities.
Graduates are currently studying vocationally at The Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst Ballet School and Moorland International Ballet Academy. Others are studying pre-vocationally at Centres for Advanced Training at The Lowry, Swindon Dance, The Place, Dance4, and DanceEast.
Several graduates have praised the programme, including Kiera, who describes the programme as ideal “not only to do ballet, but to make new friends, have fun, and be happy.”
Another graduate, Thomas, says, “Our trips out to London last year and going to watch The Little Mermaid at the Curve Theatre were amazing experiences. I’ve loved making new friends and spending time with our teachers creating new work every week.”
Graduate Izzy adds, “I have learnt to work well with so many other dancers, which has boosted my confidence and put a smile on my face.”
And graduate Nancy says, “I have discovered skills I never knew I could do before and have felt more confident in myself as a dancer.”
The Royal Ballet School’s Primary Steps Centres
The Royal Ballet School has formed several partnerships to bring Primary Steps to life. In each area that the School operates the programme, it partners with a national dance agency, a host secondary school, and 5-7 primary and junior schools.
In Blackpool, the School partners with Highfurlong School, The Lowry, and the following primary schools: Anchorsholme Academy, Bispham Endowed Church of England Primary, Boundary Primary School, Layton Primary, and Revoe Learning Academy.
In Bury St Edmunds, the School partners with King Edward VI School, Dance East, and the following primary schools: Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary, Hardwick Primary, Howard Community Primary, Sexton’s Manor Primary, Tollgate Primary, and Westgate Community Primary.
In Cardiff, the School partners with Rubicon Dance and the following primary schools: Adamsdown Primary, Baden Powell Primary, Moorland Primary, Stacey Primary, Tredegarville C.W. Primary, and Ysgol Glan Morfa.
In Dagenham, the School partners with Dagenham Park Church of England School, Trinity Laban, The Place, and the following primary schools: Beam County Primary, Godwin Primary, John Perry Primary, Marsh Green Primary, and William Ford Church of England Junior.
In Mansfield, the School partners with Manor Academy, Dance 4, and the following primary schools: Birklands Primary, Farmilo Primary, Forest Town Primary, Heatherley Primary, Northfield Primary, Peafield Lane Academy, and The Flying High Academy – Ladybrook.
In Swindon, the School partners with Swindon Dance and the following primary schools: Lainesmead Primary, Lawn Primary, Lethbridge Primary, Mountford Manor Primary, and Tregoze Primary.
Bringing Ballet to Children Around the World
Given the success that The Royal Ballet School has achieved with Primary Steps, the School decided to broaden children’s access to dance training even further. It went on to launch Primary Steps on Demand, a digitised version of the programme that schools and organisations worldwide can implement.
The video-on-demand programme includes full video classes, lesson plans, resources, and all CPD for teachers. This means teachers can blend Primary Steps on Demand into their PE lessons even if they don’t have a dance background. They don’t need any equipment and can teach the programme in a small space.
This is essential in a world where one in three primary schools doesn’t teach dance, even though this is on the national curriculum.
Primary Steps on Demand is £300 per year for a single school. Alternatively, the programme is £150 per year for trusts/groups signing up multiple schools or non-school organisations like community groups, children’s clubs, dance schools, and home educators.
About The Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School upholds excellence in classical ballet education, preparing exceptional performers and choreographers for illustrious careers with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and other elite dance companies.
Since its inception in 1926, the School has been a wellspring of talent, producing world-acclaimed dancers and choreographers. From luminaries like Margot Fonteyn, Antoinette Sibley, and Darcey Bussell to modern stars like Matthew Ball, Lauren Cuthbertson, and Samara Downs, its alumni continue to shape the global dance landscape.
In recent years, the School has taken its training beyond the walls of its London studios, allowing children both across the UK and around the world to experience its acclaimed training.
Learn more about Primary Steps.
