Senior Associate Programme

Our Senior Associate Programme is for students aged 14-16 who wish to take class with The Royal Ballet School, alongside their regular ballet classes.

Our Senior Associates are in school years 10 and 11.

Classes run from September to June in London, Birmingham and Leeds. Those who select Mid, Senior and Advanced Associate male training are encouraged to attend our London Centre where specialist male training classes are held.

Benefits

A developed understanding of 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.

Classes include

Body conditioning
Barre work
Centre work
Allegro
Pointe work (female training)

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.

Experience a Senior Associate class

Dancers aged 14 to 15 considering joining our Senior Associate programme can experience a typical Associate class, followed by a Q&A with Royal Ballet School Artistic staff in London this September.

Find out more

Eligibility

Students aged 14-15 by 31 August 2025 (apply in school years 9 or 10)
Demonstrable commitment to the study of classical ballet
Students who select female training must be en pointe
Ability to travel to either London, Leeds or Birmingham on 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.