WENDY SANDERCOCK ACADEMY OF DANCE
Ballet Intensive - (THIS COURSE IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED & will resume later in the year)
The Ballet Intensive programme is a structured course for gifted students to prepare them for auditions such as Royal Ballet Junior/ Mid Associates and other vocational schools.
The programme is taught once again, by Royal Ballet school trained Alicia Sandercock. Helping the children to understand what is expected of them at an audition and within an associate class. Alicia remembers vividly her own associate classes and has lovingly put a program together for our pupils.
Uniform
Our uniform for the Pre-Associates class is a white leotard with a pink belt for girls and black shorts and white tee-shirt for boys.
All uniforms can be purchased from our shop by visiting the shop page on this site or clicking the button below.
More from the Royal Ballet Associates Programmes
The Associate programme, created in 1948 by Founder Dame Ninette de Valois, nurtures young, talented students between the ages of 8 and 17 in pursuit of excellence in pre-vocational classical ballet training. The curriculum entails -
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Classical ballet based on The Royal Ballet School’s System of Training,
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National dance, historical dance, natural movement and pointe work as appropriate to the students’ age and development,
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Exercise programmes devised and developed by the Royal Ballet School's physiotherapist.
Our classes are designed to achieve and provide the maximum chance of success at auditions and are continually evolving in order to meet the demands of the audition process and Assocaites Programmes
Criteria
Admission to the programme is strictly by invitation only and our decision(s) are final.
As a school providing the Ballet Intensive Programme, we MUST adhere to and follow not only the designated curriculum which leads to audition at the Royal Ballet School BUT also follow guidelines on audition / selection criteria. Our selection criteria is based on our considerable experience and in order not to disappoint any student who has aspirations to gain entry as an Associate, our strict selection criteria MUST be followed to the letter and in all respects.
As Mark Annear succinctly describes (see youtube link below), there are physical attributes the Royal Ballet School is looking for in terms on the students ability to undertake rigorous and intensive training as well as “leg line” and also the aesthetic attributes as ballet is of course, a performing art requiring considerable skill, grace and presentation.
Naturally non-selection on our programme, may lead to disappointment both from parents and students alike and this is regrettable. We could make exceptions for a student to join the class who does not fully meet our criteria but from our experience, probably will not meet the Royal Ballet Schools own selection, audition and entrance criteria. That is not to say that as the student grows, develops and matures in skill, ability and physical excellence under our tuition and guidance, the selection criteria will not be met at some time in the future but of course, that would be for us to decide based on the Royal Ballet Schools own criteria that may be in force at a later date. Furthermore, one should appreciate that although we may deem the student acceptable for the Ballet Intensive course and indeed the student may pass the audition process itself, it does not mean that the student will be awarded a place on the Royal Ballet school’s Associate programme(s). To put things in perspective there are many thousands of applications each year but less than 10% of applications meet the criteria, pass the audition and awarded a place.
Should any parent require more information on joining the programme, please write in using the website of via Facebook.