BALLET HELP DESK

Summer Intensive Reviews

Programs Reviewed: 256
Total Reviews: 2344

Royal Ballet School Upper School

Summer Intensive Reviews

General

Dancer age

4
3
2
1

First time at a summer intensive?

10

Year of SI

2
1
3
1
3

Weeks available

10

Weeks attended

3
5
2

Reviewer

3
5
1
1

Curriculum

Techniques taught

1
2
7
2
2

Partnering (based on age)

2
3
3
2

Dedicated men's program?

1
9

# of boys in level

5
1
4

Other dance genres

9
9
1
1
1
3

Quality of other classes

Not Helpful
1
2
7
Helpful

Injury Prevention

Strength classes?

6
5
1
1
2
5

PT offered?

5
5

Extra fee for PT?

3
6
1

Injury rate

3
7

Teaching

Who taught?

7
3

Guest teachers

10

Year-round teachers taught

6
2
2

Attention from teachers

Very Little
2
4
4
A Lot

Technique improved?

No
1
7
2
Yes - Tremendously

Studios

Dance floors

10
1

Studio space

Cramped
1
2
2
5
Lots of Space

Studio cleanliness

Dirty
10
Spotless

Schedule

Classes per day

8
2

Saturday classes

8
2

Saturday class duration

1
1
8

Leveling

Leveling

10

Leveling type

9
1

Did students move levels?

10

Leveling fair?

10

Students per class

3
4
3

Performance

Performance?

5
5

Rehearsals happened

4
1

Casting equitability

Uneven
5
Even

Rehearsals detracted from class?

Completely
7
Not At All

Housing - General

Housing provided

1
9

# of roommates

1
4
1
3

Bathrooms

1
3
5

Coed bathrooms

8
1

Air conditioning

9

Housing comment

  • "The house for the 16-17 year olds was about 35 minutes by bus from the school."
  • "None"
  • "Bathrooms were horrible"
  • "It was a covid year so things were a little odd. Once curfew hits, your keycard deactivates so you can't miss curfew by even a minute. You can't even go down to do your laundry after curfew."
  • "Only the oldest kids are housed at Jebsen House which is 4 minutes away from the school."
  • "Close to classes and the West End. Lovely place to stay."

Where did they stay?

1

Housing - Supervision

Curfew

9

Curfew reasonable?

1
8

Room check

9

How strict were dorms?

3
2
3
1

Infraction handling

2
7

Housing - Cleanliness

Laundry available

9

Laundry free

1
8

Housing cleanliness

Dirty
7
2
Spotless

Cleaning required

7
2

Meal Plan

Meal plan

9

Food quality

Gross
1
1
4
3
Excellent

Enough food

2
7

Dietary needs?

6
3

Specific needs

  • "Peanut allergy"
  • "allergy to shellfish and carrots and salmon"
  • "Vegan"

Dietary options

Limited
1
2
Lots

Activities

Weeknight activities

7
2

Weekend outings

8
2

Attended weekend outings

2

Logistics

Quality of handbook

Spotty
2
3
5
Comprehensive

Program communication

Limited
1
4
5
Comprehensive

Transportation

6
4

Neighborhood safety

Not Safe
4
6
Very Safe

General Comments

Overall recommendation

Definitely Not
2
8
Absolutely

Best aspect

  • "The high level of instruction and advanced classes."
  • "The teachers + classes were absolutely outstanding, and total freedom to explore London after classes and on the weekends was absolutely a bonus!"
  • "Amazing teachers, reputation, location"
  • "Getting to be in London was great. The rep we did for the end of program show was great because we got original choreography as well as Elite Syncopations."
  • "The, Royal Ballet school does everything with perfection."
  • "Really good classes/instruction"
  • "Teachers were incredibly knowledgeable and kind!"
  • "The location and difficulty getting accepted. Lots of individual attention and corrections"
  • "The level of dedication from the teachers to each student"
  • "Wonderful group of dedicated ballet students with world renowned faculty and facilities."

Least liked about program

  • "N/A"
  • "I would’ve loved to have more non-ballet classes, but I understand that that’s difficult when you only have four classes per day."
  • "Less intensity than I expected"
  • "The talent level of the boys was not as consistent as it was at other programs."
  • "2021 we were still in Covid so we had to quarantine"
  • "The rehearsal hours taking time away from some of the classes"
  • "No breakfast is served….only lunch and dinner at the canteen."
  • "Acceptance is based on pictures and not actual dancing ability."
  • "The commute to and from the studio"
  • "Limited number of parents able to observe (even when many students didn’t have an observer). It seemed a bit petty to keep chairs empty."

Suggested changes to program

  • "Not much but it would have been nice to have a class fully focused on pointe technique since the time we spent on pointe was mostly only in variations, rep, or pas."
  • "Maybe one more short class per day to allow more time for pilates/non-ballet classes."
  • "Air-conditioned dorms"
  • "Require more than pictures for the auditions. Make the housing less strict."
  • "Not as much rehearsal hours taking away from classes"
  • "NA"
  • "Add video to the audition materials"
  • "The studio closer to the dorm and a wider variety of food served."
  • "The program wonderful. 2 observers/student would be great."

Culture of program

  • "Welcoming and encouraging from all the teachers, staff, and house parents."
  • "Everyone was truly so sweet. Students, teachers, house parents. I felt very supported by everyone around me and felt trusted to take care of myself responsibly, both in dance and in daily life."
  • "Friendly and welcoming."
  • "It was low-key, yet very well-run. The teachers were great and really nice."
  • "first class"
  • "Good, pleasant"
  • "The teachers were kind and that set a good culture for the kids!"
  • "Elite"
  • "Supportive, encouraging, welcoming, great training."

Other comments

  • "Students got to do Q&A’s and watch company rehearsals with Marianela Nuñez, Fumi Kaneko, Vadim Muntagirov, Melissa Hamilton, and a bunch of other principals which was an incredible experience!"
  • "It really was the perfect three weeks to end my busy summer!"
  • "Stacking the last two weeks of this program with another summer intensive is a great way to spend a summer. Recommend to anyone who wants to try an intensive in Europe!"
  • "Immediately after intensive received a direct entry for the following summer. That was nice. Also, the instructors were great."
  • "The one thing that is rarely mentioned is that they train away from the mirror for the majority of the time. It’s unique and interesting!"
  • "We highly recommend attending at least once.. Great value for money and London is a wonderful location."
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Age: 16
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 16
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 17
Overall Rating

Attended 2026, Stayed In Housing, Special Diet
4 out of 5 rating
Age: 18
Overall Rating

Attended 2024, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 18
Overall Rating

Attended 2023, Stayed In Housing, Special Diet
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 19
Overall Rating

Attended 2023, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 16
Overall Rating

Attended 2023, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 17
Overall Rating

Attended 2022
4 out of 5 rating
Age: 16
Overall Rating

Attended 2021, Stayed In Housing, Special Diet
5 out of 5 rating
Age: 17
Overall Rating

Attended 2021, Stayed In Housing
5 out of 5 rating