Royal Ballet School

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a grand défilé, in which every student of the School appears on stage in a glorious choreographed curtain call

The Royal Ballet School is a specialist, co-educational school located in premises at White Lodge, Richmond Park, in the London Borough of Richmond; and an upper school at premises in Covent Garden. It combines a mainstream academic education with an intensive dance training. The Royal Ballet School's mission is to train ballet dancers to the standard necessary for entrance to The Royal Ballet in London, and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Graduates also enter other ballet companies or dance and contemporary dance companies, or pursue careers outside of dance.

The school was founded in 1931 by Dame Ninette de Valois. She had first established a dance school for girls called the Academy of Choreographic Art in 1926, and later developed a relationship with Lilian Baylis' theatre, the Old Vic. When Baylis acquired the Sadler's Wells Theatre, a studio was built there to train de Valois' dancers. A proper school was created in Talgarth Road in 1947. In 1948 the school became co-educational, acquired a Royal Charter and became the Royal Ballet School.

The Royal Ballet School is divided into two sections. The Lower School caters to students aged from 11–16 and is located in southwest London at White Lodge, Richmond Park. The students are taught a wide range of modern and traditional dance styles in addition to ballet, and also take GCSEs. The Lower School is primarily a boarding school, but also takes day pupils. The Upper School provides a three-year course in classical ballet training for 16–19 year olds, that is one year past the usual school leaving age in the UK, as well as A-levels and BTEC National Awards. In January of 2003, the Upper School moved to new premises in central London, on Floral Street, Covent Garden. It connects to the Royal Opera House by a fourth floor level spiral bridge spanning Floral Street.^[1] A significant number of international students enter the school at Upper School level. Upper School students do not board, but accommodation for students whose families do not live in London is arranged by the school.

Fees assistance is provided by the government for United Kingdom students, and also European Union students on a more restricted basis. Students from families with very low incomes pay no fees. In 2004/2005, parents with an income of £90,000 (approximately $170,000), after certain deductions, are required to make a contribution of £13,455 (approximately $26,000).

In the film Billy Elliot, Billy visits the Royal Ballet School, but New Wardour Castle in Wiltshire was used for the location shoot.

Recently, author Alexandra Moss wrote a series about a group of dedicated ballerinas who work hard to earn a place at The Royal Ballet School. This series was titled The Royal Ballet School Diaries.