Join us this summer for two unique one-day teacher workshops, designed to deepen dance teachers’ understanding of both teaching practice and dance content.
Delivered in partnership with The Frederick Ashton Foundation and The Richard Alston Foundation, the two insight days will combine repertory exploration with contextual and pedagogical insight, giving teachers the opportunity to experience iconic movement material.
Book one day or join us for both.
Eligibility
Open to all dance teachers and student dance teachers aged 18+.
Day 1 | Saturday 25 July
The Frederick Ashton Foundation focus: La Fille mal gardée (1960) with repetiteurs Sandra Madgwick, Helen Crawford and Daniel Pratt
The Richard Alston Foundation focus: Rainbow Bandit (1977) with Richard Alston and repetiteur Pierre Tappon
Day 2 | Saturday 22 August
The Richard Alston Foundation focus: Shimmer (2004) with Richard Alston and repetiteur Pierre Tappon
The Frederick Ashton Foundation focus: The Dream (1964) with repetiteurs Sandra Madgwick, Daniel Pratt and Samantha Raine
Bookings
Limited spaces available, book early to avoid disappointment.
Bookings close:
25 July workshop closes on 23 June
22 August workshop closes on 21 July
Overview
These teacher training days will include repertoire study with The Frederick Ashton Foundation, looking in depth at Ashton’s style and influence on British ballet and the wider dance world.
Teachers will also delve into choreographic process with The Richard Alston Foundation and gain valuable insight into Richard’s own process and learn phrases of choreography from his current and past body of work.
The workshops will be led by former principal dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sandra Madgwick, who worked directly with Ashton, and renowned choreographer and director Sir Richard Alston CBE. Sandra and Richard will be supported by associated stagers and repetiteurs from their respective Foundations.
The days also include joint discussions and Q&As with Sandra and Richard, offering rich perspectives on insights, style and process.
Attendees will receive a CPD certificate of participation on completion of each workshop.
The Frederick Ashton Foundation
These sessions will introduce teachers to insights and the stylistic and musical nuances of Ashton’s choreography, exploring how these qualities can be embodied, and communicated. Alongside repertory work, we will examine strategies that support clarity, musical sensitivity, and expressive detail.
©2025 Alice Pennefather
The Richard Alston Foundation
These sessions will focus on the dynamic, articulate movement language associated with Richard Alston. Teachers will work with repertory material while considering the choreographic process and how to encourage individual student interpretation. The session will highlight approaches that balance technical precision with creative freedom, offering practical tools for teachers to deliver choreography sessions with their students.
Participation options
Attend in-person
10.00-17.00
The Royal Ballet School, Covent Garden, London
Includes practical work, class discussion, Q&A and reflection.
Observe online
10.00-17.00 (full day)
10.00-13.30 (half day AM)
12.45-13.30 (half day PM)
14.15-17.00 (half day PM)
Join as an observer via zoom (no practical work involved), participate and contribute to the Q&A.
Fees
In-person, one day: £180
In-person, both days: £325 (save £35)
Online observation, full day: £80
Online observation, half day (AM or PM): £45
Online observation, both days: £145 (save £15)
Course structure
- To gain insight into the work of leading British ballet choreographers Richard Alston and Frederick Ashton, Founder Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, through discussion and practical study, class discussion, Q&A and reflection
- To deepen teachers’ understanding of the artistic, musical, and stylistic qualities within Ashton and Alston repertory
- To explore how repertory can inform and enrich teaching practice
- To connect practical movement exploration with pedagogical strategies that support clarity, musicality, creativity, and student engagement
- To provide teachers with insight into the choreographic process and how to translate these ideas into their own studio environments
- To create a reflective space where teachers can discuss, question, and refine their teaching approaches with guidance from leading artists and pedagogues.
La Fille mal gardée (1960)
Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée is a cornerstone of twentieth-century British ballet, celebrated for its pastoral charm, musical sophistication and distinctive choreographic wit. Led by Helen Crawford (Ashton Stager and former Répétiteur, The Royal Ballet) and Daniel Pratt (Ashton Stager and former First Soloist, Sarasota Ballet), this session explores two excerpts from Act I: the buoyant reaping dance for the corps de ballet – exemplifying the lyrical use of the upper-body and nuanced musicality so typical of Ashton – alongside the famous clog dance for Widow Simone, a study in rhythmic complexity and comic timing.
©2025 Alice Pennefather
The Dream (1964)
Created by Frederick Ashton in 1964 to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, The Dream distils A Midsummer Night’s Dream into a one-act ballet full of magic and misadventure, set to Mendelssohn’s incidental music. Led by Samantha Raine (Ashton Stager and Senior Répétiteur, The Royal Ballet) and Daniel Pratt, this session focusses on the nimble articulation and fleet footwork of the opening fairy dances, alongside the playful choreography for the Rustics, including Bottom’s mime—revealing through these contrasting sections of choreography and gesture Ashton’s genius for vivid characterisation and compelling, detail-rich storytelling.
©2025 Alice Pennefather
Rainbow Bandit
In Richard Alston’s Rainbow Bandit, the movement is excitingly propelled forward by the words of the sound score. Clean clear lines through the extended limbs pull the body into the space often carried by small almost petit allegro steps. The energy makes the dancer fly across the stage. The movement can be adapted but the urgent rhythm is a constant.
Shimmer
Richard Alston’s Shimmer has the flowing movement of the sea, inspired by A Ship Out At Sea, a magical piece of music by the French composer Ravel. The dance is lyrical and perhaps embodies the tidal pull of the ocean as the dancer is tugged here and there. There are more peaceful moments too, at which point movement and music are one, limpid and clear with a wonderful simplicity.
Photographed by Chris Nash
Schedule
| 10.00-10.30 Ashton introduction and contextual: La Fille mal gardée with Sandra Madgwick |
| 10.30-11.30 Ashton practical: La Fille mal gardée with Helen Crawford and Daniel Pratt |
| 11.30-11.45 Tea break |
| 11.45-12.45 Ashton practical : La Fille mal gardée with Helen Crawford and Daniel Pratt |
| 12.45-13.30 Ashton/Alston insight talk with Sandra Madgwick and Richard Alston |
| 13.30-14.15 Lunch break |
| 14.15-14.45 Alston introduction and contextual: Rainbow Bandit with Richard Alston |
| 14.45-15.45 Alston practical: Rainbow Bandit with Richard Alston and Pierre Tappon |
| 15.45-16.00 Tea break |
| 16.00-17.00 Alston practical choreographic process: Rainbow Bandit with Richard Alston and Pierre Tappon |
| 10.00-10.30 Alston introduction and contextual: Shimmer with Richard Alston |
| 10.30-11.30 Alston practical: Shimmer with Richard Alston and Pierre Tappon |
| 11.30-11.45 Tea break |
| 11.45-12.45 Alston practical choreographic process: Shimmer with Richard Alston and Pierre Tappon |
| 12.45-13.30 Ashton/Alston insight talk with Sandra Madgwick and Richard Alston |
| 13.30-14.15 Lunch break |
| 14.15-14.45 Ashton introduction and contextual: The Dream with Sandra Madgwick |
| 14.45-15.45 Ashton practical: The Dream with Samantha Raine and Daniel Pratt |
| 15.45-16.00 Tea break |
| 16.00-17.00 Ashton practical choreographic process: The Dream with Samantha Raine and Daniel Pratt |