In 2022, The Royal Ballet School launched Primary Steps on Demand to make creative ballet education accessible to children everywhere. The on-demand programme has its origins in the School’s in-person Primary Steps Programme, which operates across 6 centres and 34 partner schools around the UK.
Primary Steps on Demand has made The Royal Ballet School’s exceptional ballet training available to children worldwide.
Actively Widening Access to Ballet and Creative Dance Education
“Actively widening access” is one of The Royal Ballet School’s five values. By extension, the School has a long-standing commitment to expanding access to ballet and creative dance education.
To achieve this commitment, the School creates opportunities for people to engage with ballet wherever possible. It works to expand its reach across the UK and the world, including through digital access.
Primary Steps on Demand is an online dance programme available to primary schools and non-school organisations everywhere. Participating organisations access the programme through the School’s video-on-demand platform. As a result, Primary Steps on Demand is completely flexible and accessible anywhere, at any time.
The programme includes everything schools need to deliver dance classes to students aged 7 to 11, including:
- Video classes exploring cross-curricular themes.
- Video classes exploring key concepts of ballet movement.
- Movement guides (such as warm-ups and cool-downs).
- Lesson plans.
- Tutorials, notes, and advice for teachers.
- Resources for students.
- Inspiration footage of Primary Steps students and Royal Ballet School dancers.
- Continuing professional development (CPD) seminars for teachers.
- Live, virtual workshops.
Royal Ballet School Expertise And Support
The Royal Ballet School has developed all the materials for Primary Steps on Demand. Royal Ballet School teachers deliver the classes, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the programme. Primary schools can feel confident that Primary Steps on Demand is a programme of outstanding quality.
Schools that sign up for the programme gain access to libraries of engaging, educational classes. The programme’s courses and lessons explore a range of subjects that touch on specific curriculum areas, movement, and ballet.
Teachers don’t need any dance teaching experience to deliver the easy-to-use programme. Instead, they receive all the resources needed to accompany the classes. They also get the opportunity to join CPD webinars and live, online workshops to develop their dance teaching skills.
Plus, participating schools receive ongoing support from The Royal Ballet School as needed.
Prioritising Accessibility: Cost, Space, and Students’ Needs
The Royal Ballet School understands that widening access to ballet is about price and ability as much as location. To address these barriers to entry, the School has made the programme as affordable and inclusive as possible.
Pricing Plans
The programme is available from £3 per student. Pricing plans include:
- Tier one (small school) — £500 +VAT per year for all content.
- Tier two (medium school) — £750 +VAT per year for all content.
- Tier three (large school) — £1,000 +VAT per year for all content.
- Tier four (non-school) — £150 +VAT per year for all content.
Schools can sign up for a 12-month programme, starting at any time throughout the year.
The programme is suitable for children in Key Stage 2 (7 to 11 year olds), with two levels of content available for Years 3 to 4 and Years 5 to 6.
Suitable For Smaller Spaces
The School has designed Primary Steps on Demand to meet primary schools’ practical considerations. Schools don’t need any special equipment to deliver the programme. Primary Steps on Demand is also suitable for smaller spaces. The lesson structures allow for an easy flow between exercises and keep students focused in their own space.
Accessible To All
All children are unique, with individual learning styles and abilities. Therefore, Primary Steps on Demand is accessible to all, including students with special educational needs (SEN) or physical disabilities.
The programme is gender neutral and uses inclusive language. Teachers can also adapt the content to their students’ needs.
Find out more about Primary Steps on Demand.
About The Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School, established in 1926, is one of the world’s foremost centres for classical ballet training. Throughout its history, the School has made significant contributions to the legacy of The Royal Ballet.
The School has nurtured generations of renowned performers and choreographers. Alumni such as Darcey Bussell, Anthony Dowell, and David Wall have achieved international acclaim.
The School’s admissions process evaluates a dancer’s classical ballet talent and potential. Students accepted on to the full-time course receive high-level training from experienced Artistic staff.
During the course, students study various dance styles alongside their academic learning. This comprehensive education prepares young dancers for fulfilling futures. Many join dance companies like The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and other international companies.
The Royal Ballet School believes that creative dance is a crucial element of holistic education that can offer young people many benefits. Children with access to dance training can enjoy enhanced mental and physical well-being. Young dancers can also develop their creative, critical thinking, and social skills.
With this in mind, the School offers an array of training initiatives outside of its full-time course in London. The Royal Ballet School offers pre-vocational and recreational dance programmes for students and teachers. Participants receive the resources and opportunities to pursue their passion for ballet. Through these initiatives, the School works to inspire the future of classical ballet training.
