Audition tips with our students
There’s less than one week left until applications for our full-time and Associate training programmes close. If you have a passion for classical ballet and want to train with The Royal Ballet School, make sure to submit your application before 10 October.
To help you with some inspiration and advice ahead of audition season, we spoke to our students about their experiences and asked for their tips on how to nail your audition.
Why did you audition for the School?
I chose to audition for the School because I think it offers a lot of good opportunities and it’s one of the best schools for ballet training.
The reason I wanted to come to The Royal Ballet School was that my old teacher went to White Lodge herself, and she recommended that I should audition because she knew it was an amazing School. She knew the teachers were incredible and that it would be an amazing opportunity for me to grow and develop as a dancer.
I’ve actually been watching The Nutcracker and lots of different ballets at the Royal Opera House since I was two years old, and I think it was just always a dream of mine to go to The Royal Ballet School.
When I did a Summer Intensive, I liked the whole experience of making friends, the food, the dorms, and the teachers.
Can you tell us about your audition experience?
We went into the studio and just did a normal class. I remember doing rebound jumps, and it was really fun because everyone was smiling.
I had the opportunity to audition for the School because I did an Associate audition at my local dance school initially, and they asked me to come and do the White Lodge final audition in London. I came down for a two-day audition and to have tours of the School. I remember having a really nice interview with one of the staff members where they asked me questions about how I’d feel about boarding. Of course, there was also a ballet class and physio test. It was really cool to experience the School for the first time, and I actually made some friends at my audition that I still talk to now!
I auditioned about eight years ago for Year 7, and there were two auditions, one at Upper School and one at White Lodge. It was a great process; it was the first time I’d ever really danced with other boys because, at my old ballet school, I was the only boy. I was used to always dancing with girls, so it was nice to see that there were other boys who also danced and that I wasn’t the only one. I’m originally from Spain, so travelling abroad and seeing what my life could potentially look like in the future was a bit scary but exciting. Prior to auditioning, I’d never been in the country before; it was my first time here – my parents don’t speak English and when I came, I didn’t speak much English either. I got a lot of help from people at the School; even from my audition, I was well taken care of.
What are your top tips for auditioning at the School?
My top tip for auditioning for The Royal Ballet School is to make sure you stretch beforehand and warm up so that you’re ready to go.
Don’t worry about being perfect – just apply what you already know so that they can see your potential.
Don’t focus on the outcome; just focus on the moment and what you want to achieve.
Come to the audition, do the best you can, smile and enjoy it – if you enjoy it, the panel will enjoy it.
You have to remember that they’re looking for your potential, not perfection. As long as they can see that you have a passion for ballet, that’s all that matters.
