The Royal Ballet School expands its search for talent
Audition opportunities and competitions 2018/19
The Royal Ballet School is excited to announce that it is expanding its audition opportunities in 2018/19 at a series of intensive courses and auditions around the world. The School will also continue to recruit students at selected competitions that align with our own teaching ethics, best practices and that we consider to have healthy and age-appropriate criteria, such as the Prix de Lausanne, Switzerland.
We want aspiring young dancers, whose dream is to come to The Royal Ballet School, to have the opportunity to present their talent and potential. As one of the best ballet schools in the world, we want to promote the very highest standards so that parents and teachers can feel safe entrusting their children with us.
What have we done so far?
In 2018, for the first time, The Royal Ballet School delivered a one-week Spring Intensive and audition in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. This enabled us to meet students from all over Asia and Australasia. At the same time, we increased our London-based intensives with a further week-long residential programme at White Lodge during the Easter holidays, including auditions.
We have expanded our annual Summer Intensives in London from two weeks to four weeks, which also include the opportunity for students to audition for a full-time place at the School. In the first two weeks, students are taught by Royal Ballet School teachers and in the last two weeks by a line-up of Royal Ballet alumni and renowned international teachers. This year, the faculty includes Darcey Bussell, Viviana Durante, Sarah Lamb, Irek Mukhamedov and Alexander Campbell to name but a few.
Our message to applicants
We encourage young dancers from the UK and around the world to sample a taste of what The Royal Ballet School has to offer and to come along and audition. Our doors are open and we look forward to welcoming you.
Audition opportunities and competitions 2018/19
Please see our International auditions page for an up to date list of opportunities.
Competitions we are attending*
Please keep checking this page for new dates added. Our list will be updated as and when new opportunities are confirmed
| Venue | Dates |
| IBStage Grand Prix, Barcelona, Spain CONFIRMED | 21-24 February 2019 |
| Prix de Lausanne, Switzerland CONFIRMED | February 2019 |
| Asian Grand Prix Preliminaries, Osaka CONFIRMED | 26-27 April 2019 |
*The Royal Ballet School will not be attending the Youth America Grand Prix this year
Hello, I’m Claudia, I’ll ‘ve attending your audition in Livorno the 24th of November. I’d like to know the schedule about the academy. I mean about school and ballet class. What would it be the place where dancers stay?
Many thanks,
Claudia.
Hi Claudia,
Students at The Royal Ballet School study a mixed curriculum of academic subjects and dance. At our Upper School, students study a degree programme, Classical Ballet and Dance Performance. Boarding is available at both sites, and at White Lodge, students who live near the School can be day students.
Why won’t you be attending the Youth America Grand Prix this season?
Hello. I want to attend to Japan – masterclasses and auditions (dates and venues tbc).
But there is no detail information. Could you tell me when it will be open?
If there is no audition in Japan, I would like to participate in Hong Kong.
Hi there, we are no longer visiting Japan in 2018/19 but if you attend our Hong Kong Spring Intensive Course you will have a chance to audition for the School. Applications are now open for that course here: royalballetschool.org.uk/train/dancer-training/intensive-courses/spring-intensives/. If you’d prefer to audition from home you can submit a video audition using our online audition form, which is available here: royalballetschool.openapply.com/apply/forms/18809 . Any successful applicants at these preliminary auditions will be required to attend a final audition in person in London.
I live In New Zealand and am fourteen. I would love to audition but I don’t know where I could and I have limited Ballet experience so I would be auditioning next year. Would I be still able to audition?
Brindisi, Italy (venue tbc) 27 November 2018
this i confirmed, isn’t it?
Is it only the 27th Nov or more days?
many thanks
Sonia Valido
Hi Sonio, yes the only date in Brindisi is 27 November. More information on the venue will soon be available on the AED website: http://www.aed.dance
I am enquiring on behalf of my daughter, Isla Mackemzie, at present s 13, born on 9th November 2005. At present we live in Vermont USA I am a British Citizen but have lived in the US as permanent resident for 21 years. My question is what group should we be applying for and when does it have to be done by. Isla is vsry keen to join the Royal Ballet School. Thank you for your consideration.
Hi Ian, thank you for your enquiry. As your daughter will be 14 years old by 31 August 2019, she is eligible to apply for full-time training at White Lodge as a Year 10 student. Applications will open next month, on 26 September, and the deadline is 12 November.
Hi, my name is Isla. I am Ian’s daughter the one who would like too apply for the Royal Ballet School. My dad made a mistake in saying that I was currently 13 years of age, right now I am 12 years old. But my birthday is November 9th 2005. I do have one question, are you coming too America for the auditions. Thank you very much.