Description

The Ballet Academic Program is a full-time seven-level program for young artists pursing their dream of dancing professionally. Students enter the Program as young as 10 years of age (going into academic grade 6). Depending on age and level in program of study, they dance between 14-25 hours per week, for 11 months of the year. Students do intensive work in ballet and pointe technique and in higher levels, pas de deux and variations. In addition to classical training, students receive a comprehensive education in character and modern dance. The curriculum is augmented by classes in historical dance, conditioning, music, drama, repertoire, improvisation, choreography, visual art, dance history, creative movement, strength-training, and Pilates. Students also attend nutrition classes taught by our Registered Dietitian and Performance Enhancement classes with our Physical Education Consultant. Peer Relationships courses developed by our Student Care Counsellors provide students with the skills required to live away from home and to manage personal and professional relationships in an intensive training environment. Students for whom English is not their first language are also required to attend English as an Additional Language classes for supplementary academic and training support. The RWB School has spent 50 years researching and studying the means to adapt the finest elements of the Russian training system for the Canadian dancer. The result is a unique curriculum that develops a versatile young artist with a strong technique and the ability to be competitive internationally. A commitment to years of slow growth and evolution are the root of this very successful method of training. The RWB School artistic faculty, educated and experienced in the practice of this system, is a key element in its success. These teachers work as a collaborative team to impart their knowledge to subsequent generations of teachers and dancers. The RWB School has forged strong partnerships with two highly regarded local private schools, ensuring that our young artists are challenged and stimulated beyond time spent in our studios. These partnerships enable us to offer the best overall support to the student body and ensure that the RWB School continues to rank among the best ballet schools in the world. Allowing our students the opportunity to venture beyond our walls on a daily basis affords them the ability to share ideas and develop friendships with a diverse group of young people, further enriching their RWB experience.