Besides a reputation for producing exceptional young dancers, The Royal Ballet School is well known for promoting excellence in classical ballet teaching. The School offers various dance teacher training courses, including “Inspire,” a comprehensive professional development programme, and “Enlighten,” a webinar series that provides dance teachers across the world with access to the School’s expertise on a wide range of ballet-related topics. Through both Inspire and Enlighten, the School empowers dance tutors everywhere to deliver outstanding teaching to their students.

Here’s an overview of both the Inspire seminars and Enlighten webinars, which are now open for booking for the academic year 2022/23.

Inspire Seminars

Inspire is a professional development programme that provides a comprehensive understanding of the teaching of classical ballet technique to educators of all backgrounds and experience levels. Held in the UK and internationally, the one-day Inspire seminars and classes offer fresh and innovative ideas to guide teachers in their approaches to instructing ballet students and presenting a unique networking opportunity.

Previous Inspire students have called the programme a “valuable opportunity to reevaluate and contextualise teaching practice within a progressive, inclusive learning environment,” and an “absolutely fantastic week.”

The Inspire Programme consists of two series of seminars and classes, “Series 1: Inspire” and “Series 2: Inspire to be.”

Series 1: Inspire

Series 1 consists of six one-day seminars containing both theoretical and practical elements, a class discussion, and reflection. With a grounding in good teaching practice, all the seminars deliver the foundations of classical ballet technique, more advanced elements of technique and artistry, and valuable strategies for how to apply pedagogical, technical, and artistic knowledge within the dance studio.

Individuals can attend each seminar as a one-off event and in any order, though the School recommends teachers experience all six seminars sequentially if they wish to develop a comprehensive understanding of the full series. The six seminars are as follows:

1. The foundations of classical ballet
2. Analysing the elements of technique part one: barre work
3. Analysing the elements of technique part two: centre work
4. Analysing the elements of technique part three: allegro
5. Analysing the elements of technique part four: pointe work
6. Good teaching practice

Individual seminars in the UK cost £150 each or £900 for all six. The Royal Ballet School offers three discounted places per seminar for student teachers and these bring the price per seminar down to £90, a saving of £60.

Series 2: Inspire to Be

Following on from Series 1, “Series 2: Inspire to be” offers participating teachers four one-day observation classes delivered to their own students. By observing experienced ballet teachers in action, Inspire participants discover how best to apply and embed the learning elements introduced in Series 1.

Each of the four days includes an overview of theoretical elements, class observation, and, like the seminars of Series 1, discussion and reflection to finish. The four days cover:

1. Entrée: Children’s first steps in classical ballet
2. Leçon: The barre and beyond
3. Assemblé: The assimilation of technique, artistry, and musicality
4. Divertissement: Accommodating the needs of girls and boys

Individual days cost £150 each, including one place for a student of the teacher’s choice. Depending on availability, participating teachers can bring additional students to take part in the class, and places cost £30 per student on a first-come-first-served basis.

Enlighten Webinars

The Royal Ballet School’s one-hour Enlighten webinars give dance teachers the chance to gain priceless insights, advice, inspiration, and support from the School’s expert staff, drawing on the institution’s extensive knowledge and experience as a world leader in dance education. Open to teachers worldwide, the webinars make excellent accompaniments to the Inspire series and are the ideal way for teachers to develop their continuing professional development (CPD) portfolios.

The Enlighten webinars have evolved from the highly popular online teacher training sessions that The Royal Ballet School offered during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Head of Training and Access Mark Annear recalls how each session “sold out in a matter of days” with participants truly valuing the opportunity to learn from the School’s staff.

Recent Enlighten webinar attendees have called the experience informative and inspiring, “full of interesting information and ideas” and “a brilliant reminder of how to strive towards, and maintain, excellent studio practice.”

Senior Teacher Training Manager Karen Berry explains that it’s essential for teachers to maintain contact with one another, exchanging their expertise and passion for the art form. She adds that “the webinars provide the ideal opportunity to share ideas, discuss concerns, and make new connections.”

How Does The Royal Ballet School Deliver Enlighten Webinars?

The Royal Ballet School’s expert tutors deliver Enlighten webinars via Zoom and PowerPoint presentations. Each webinar takes place at a variety of times, suiting teachers in different time zones across the world. After each webinar, tutors provide advice and support during an interactive question and answer session.

Teachers are welcome to choose which sessions they would like to attend, designing a programme best suited to them. Webinars are £25 each and capped at 25 participants.

What Topics Do the Webinars Cover?

The webinars cover a diverse range of topics, from the technical and artistic aspects of dance training and pedagogy to business modelling and management.

Topics for the 2022/23 Enlighten series of webinars include:

• Posture: Efficient, effortless alignment with the Franklin Method®
• Striving for Excellence: Developing artistry and musicality
• Engaging Students: Embracing opportunities to grow your business
• Effective motor learning for dancers strategies
• The Healthy Dancer.

Book Inspire seminars and Enlighten webinars on The Royal Ballet School’s website.

About The Royal Ballet School

The Royal Ballet School’s commitment to classical ballet excellence has produced generations of talented performers and choreographers who have graduated into promising careers with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and other leading UK and international companies. Former students include ballet greats like Margot Fonteyn, Anthony Dowell, Darcey Bussell, and countless others.

Alongside offering the full-time training programme, based in London, the School works to extend its knowledge and passion for ballet through an extensive range of outreach programmes. With its renowned dance teacher training, Primary Steps offerings for primary school pupils, and opportunities for the wider public, The Royal Ballet School continually looks to inspire the future of classical ballet training.