Enrolment

How you join the school

There is no entrance exam, no file to assemble, no level to prove. You begin by coming to try a class.

The four steps

Step 1
The trial class
Free, with no commitment. The child takes a real class, with the group that matches their age. You see how they are in the studio, and we see where they stand. Parents often tell us the first ten minutes are enough to feel the difference: that is exactly what the trial is for. Nobody commits at this stage.
Step 2
The weekly group
If the trial goes well on both sides, the child joins their group and comes every week. That is where the work really begins: regularity does more than talent, and it shows every year.
Step 3
The end-of-year performance
Each year the school presents a performance. The students discover what a stage asks of them: memory, stamina, and responsibility toward a group that dances together. It is the moment the children wait for, and often the one the families remember.
Step 4
The intensives, and beyond
For those who want more, there are the summer and winter intensives, private lessons, and for a few of them competition preparation. None of it is compulsory, and nothing is closed off in advance.

The practical side

What we need to know: The age of the child, what they have done before if they have done anything, and a way to reach you. That is all it takes to arrange a trial. The documents needed for enrolment are set out afterwards, once the family and the school have decided to carry on.
What to wear: There is nothing to buy for the trial. A close-fitting outfit that lets the lines show, and hair tied back, are enough. The group attire and the shoes are explained once the child is enrolled.
The hours: Groups and their hours are settled each season according to ages and numbers. They are confirmed to enrolled families. We take in new students when a group has room, and we say so when it does not.
The fees: Fees are shared on request. They depend on the group and the rhythm chosen, and we prefer to discuss them once we know what suits the child.

The questions parents ask

These are the ones that come up most often. If yours is not here, write to us, we answer everyone.

Is there a selection at the door?

No. That is the founding principle of the school. The children of the Principality should be able to learn ballet seriously without having been chosen for it. We take students as they arrive, and we work from there.

Is my child too young?

Probably not. The youngest come for the first steps: learning to listen to the music, to hold a position, to cross the room without hurrying. Nothing is forced on a body that is still growing. If a child really is too small to get anything from the class, we will tell you frankly rather than enrol you.

Is my child too old to start?

No. A child starting at ten or twelve will not have the same path as one who started at four, and it would be wrong to hide that. But they will learn to dance, they will progress quickly because they understand what is being asked, and they will go on stage with the others.

They have never danced. Is that a problem?

None at all. Most of the children who arrive here have never danced. The trial class exists precisely for complete beginners: there is nothing to revise beforehand, and nothing you need to be able to do.

Are boys welcome?

Yes, and we would like to welcome more of them. The boys who come to try often turn out to be very well coordinated and very musical. Work for men has been part of classical training from the beginning, and a boy who wants to dance finds his place here without having to justify it.

What should they wear for the first class?

Close-fitting clothes and hair tied back. There is no need to buy anything before the trial.

How does the trial class work?

You write to us, and we suggest a slot in the group that matches the age of the child. They take the whole class with the other students. Afterwards we take a few minutes to tell you what we saw, and you decide calmly, at home.

What about adults?

There is no age limit for taking a place at the barre. Complete beginners, former dancers, parents who have been bringing their children for years: everyone is welcome. Adults come with a ten-class pass, and those who wish to also take the stage at the end-of-year performance.