Associate Programme

The Associate Programme, created in 1948 by our Founder, Dame Ninette de Valois, nurtures young, talented students between the ages of eight and 18 in pursuit of excellence in pre-vocational classical ballet training.

Based in centres across the UK, the course is designed to augment an individual’s current training while introducing them to The Royal Ballet School’s System of Training alongside other gifted children who aspire to a career in dance. Pupils continue to study with their regular dance teacher in addition to their Associate dance classes each Saturday. Associates make lifelong friends on the course, dancing alongside other gifted children who share their passion for dance.

Associates sometimes have the opportunity to perform with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and other ballet companies, and many have progressed through the School and into the Royal Ballet Companies.

Our Associate Programme offers regional training to young dancers before they are old enough to apply for full-time training. Many students accepted into White Lodge each year have progressed through the Associate Programme.

Students aged 11 (as of 31 August 2026) auditioning to join the Mid Associate programme in September 2026 will be eligible to be selected to join the new UK Scholars programme.

Curriculum

• Classical ballet based on The Royal Ballet School’s System of Training
• National dance, historical dance, natural movement, repertoire and pointe work as appropriate to the students’ age and development
• Ballet conditioning programmes devised and developed by the School’s healthcare team.

Classes

• Held at seven centres across the country
• Run throughout the UK academic year, usually from September to June
• Each session lasts 2 hours 15 mins with the exception of Mid Associate and Senior Associate classes in Leeds which are 3 hours.

Experience an Associate class

Junior Associate Insight classes will be held at all Associate venues in the 2025/26 academic year with the exception of Eastleigh.

Fees

How to apply

Applications for our Mid/Senior/Advanced Associate programmes (including our new UK Scholars programme) open in September and close in October. Auditions take place from November to January. All auditions are for courses which start the following September. You can apply for our full-time and Mid/Senior/Advanced Associate programmes in the same application.

Applicants who audition for our Mid Associate programme will be eligible to be selected to join our new UK Scholars programme. If selected, applicants will be invited to a secondary audition specifically for the UK Scholars programme in February.

Applications for our Junior Associate Programme open in February each year and close in March. Auditions are held in the Summer Term and are for courses which start in September.

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, Cardiff, Eastleigh, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Manchester.

Our Associate programmes

Ages 8-11

Ages 14-16

Ages 11-14

Ages 16-18

Ages 11-12

Any questions?

Please visit our FAQs page if you have any questions about the Associate Programme.

You can also contact our Associate team by emailing [email protected].

Our Associate and UK Summer Intensive Programmes are generously supported by The Leverhulme Trust