Advanced Associate Programme

Our Advanced Associate Programme is designed for students aged 16-18 who wish to take a programme of weekend classes with The Royal Ballet School, alongside their regular ballet classes.

From September 2025, the School will introduce a new format for our Advanced Associate Programme.

The programme will consist of eight Sunday sessions and will run from 11.00 to 16.30. Each session will consist of the following elements:

Ballet conditioning exercise class
Ballet class
Workshop session (including repertoire, contemporary and contextual studies, with a different focus on each date).

Benefits

An introduction to The Royal Ballet School System of Training
Enhanced ballet training with the view to a full-time vocational education
Dance with students of a similar age who share the same passion and drive for a career in dance
The creation of life long friendships.

Opportunities

The School aims to invite all Associate students to attend one pre-general rehearsal at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden during the year
In addition, we invite students to attend a workshop held at the Upper School to enhance their training
Occasionally, Associates are asked to take part in productions by The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and visiting companies.

Eligibility

Aged 16-17 by 31 August 2025 (apply in school years 11 and 12)
Demonstrable commitment to the study of classical ballet. Student who select female training must be en pointe
Ability to travel to The Royal Ballet School in Covent Garden, each Saturday of the academic year that a class is held.

How to apply

Applications for our Mid/Senior/Advanced Associate programmes open in September and close in October. Preliminary auditions take place from November to January. All auditions are for courses which start the following September. You can apply for our full-time training and Mid/Senior/Advanced Associate programmes in the same application.

We offer all applicants who submit their application by the closing date a preliminary audition. Our auditions are held at our centres in Bath, Birmingham, Eastleigh, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Manchester.

Please visit our Auditions page to find out how to apply to the programme.