Royal Ballet School White Lodge

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General

Who is Reviewing?

Parent

Program:

Royal Ballet School White Lodge

Season Attended:

2022-23

# Of Levels In School:

Final year of the full 5 years at White Lodge

Dancer Age:

Company Affliated?

Yes

Was Student Scholarshipped?

Curriculum

Days Per Week:

Classes Per Day:

Weekend Classes?

Yes

Weekend Schedule:

Half day

Students Per Class:

16-24

Weekly Repertoire or Variations?

Yes

Pointe Classes Per Week:

Daily

Live Music in Technique Class?

Yes

Dedicated Men's Program?

Yes

Boys In Level:

11-15

Separate Technique Class for Boys:

Yes

Techniques Taught:

General Classical

Technique Teacher Rotation:

Different depending on week

Did School Director Teach?

Never (school admin was a designated upper level teacher)

Classroom Corrections:

Dancer specific: detailed but only a few dancers consistently got corrections

Attention From Teachers:


Very Little	A Lot

Quality of Instruction:


Poor	Excellent

Did Technique Improve?


Not at all	Tremendously

Curriculum Comments:

Students studies The Royal technique as well as repertoire, character and contemporary. Students also did academic studies until lunch break, with training in the afternoons/evenings.

Partnering

Frequency of Partnering Class:

1x per week

Partner Ratio:

None, there were enough boys for every girl.

Who Taught?

Male and female teacher together

How Much Partnering Improved:


No	Tremendously

Quality of Pas Teaching:


Poor	Excellent

How Were Corrections Given?

The teacher focused on one or two couples and the rest of the students were on their own

Description of Partnering Class:

Partnering was only done occasionally and and at a basic level - lifts were not permitted.

Additional Comments:

Only certain students received constructive training and help.

Other Classes

Other Dance Styles:

Character, Contemporary

Other Class Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Contemporary Offered?

Yes

Types of Contemporary Classes Taught:

Choreography workshops

Contemporary Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Master Classes?

Strength & Conditioning

Physical Training Offered?

Yes

Physical Training Types:

Pilates (mat or reformer), Weight training, Body conditioning, Stretch class

Physical Training Schedule:

Several times a week

Were Trainers Certified?

Yes

Physical Training Quality:


Poor	Excellent

Strength & Conditioning Comments:

There was poor instruction for weights and several dancers ended up with back injuries.

Injuries/Health/ Mental Health

Are Doctors Available?

Yes

How Parents Notified?

Student told parent. School not involved

How Treatment Obtained?

The school organised all medical visits and treatments. The student would then let us know.

PT Available?

Yes, it is part of fees

Was There a Recovery Plan?

Describe Recovery Plan:

We were unaware of any recovery plan. The student would attend rehab and physio until their injury recovered. Sometimes the students would just gradually return to training and the injury would be forgotten - so they just carried on with full training.

Mental Health Therapists Available?

Yes

Were Students Given Fat Talk?

Staff Made Comments About Bodies?

Were Students Weighed?

Yes

Was "Coded Language" Used?

Yes

Additional Comments:

Mental health services were very poor. One counsellor was available and students were just told help was there if they wanted to reach out - even students who were self harming and suicidal.

Performances: Winter Show/ Nutcracker

Performance Opportunities:

School Winter Show?

Yes

Company or School Show?

Company affiliated production and the students perform certain parts

Cast in Winter Show?

No, my level typically does not perform in winter show

Performance: Ballet Season

Cast in Company Productions?

Competition

School Does Competitions?

Communication

Formal Orientation?

Unsure

Handboook & Paperwork:

Fairly comprehensive but missing a few pieces

Quality of Communication?


Poor	Excellent

Who Received Communication?

With parents only

Exams

Formal Exam?

School Culture

How Supported Did Student Feel By Staff?


Not	Completely

How Supportive Were Students of One Another?


Not	Completely

Describe School Culture:

Evasive, corrosive, toxic, bullying, sad.

Placement Notification Timing:

February.

Overall School Culture:


Lord of the Flies	Warm & Inclusive

School Outcomes

Is Student In Upper Levels?

Building & Surrounding Area

Security Around Building:

Yes

Safety of Area Around School?


Not Safe	Extremely Safe

Studio Space:


Cramped	Lots of space

Studio Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Housing

Was Housing Provided?

Yes

Did Dancer Stay in Provided Housing?

Yes

Type of Housing Provided::

Dorms

Housing Minimum Age:

# of Roommates::

Adequate # of RA's?


Not at all	Absolutely

Type of Bathrooms::

Private in room

Curfew?

Yes

Curfew Reasonable?

Yes

Nightly Room Check?

Yes

Dorm Strictness:


Extremely Lax	Extremely Strict

How Infractions Handled?

Skewed depending on student

How Roommate Issues Handled?

The students handled them themselves.

Housing Cleanliness:


Dirty	Spotless

Students Required to Clean Room?

Laundry Available?

Yes

Laundry Free?

Yes

Evening Activities?

A/C In Room?

Weekend Outings?

Yes

Transportation Between Housing and Studios?

Accommodation on site.

Safety Around Housing:


Not Safe	Very Safe

Overall Rating of Housing:


Poor	Excellent

Additional Comments:

Dorm accommodation was very poor, dated and falling apart. Storage was broken, rooms were cramped - some with bunk beds.

Meal Plan

Meal Plan?

Yes

Food Quality:


Gross	Excellent

Enough Food?

Late Meals Available?

Sometimes

Dancer w/ Dietary Needs?

Academics

How Did Academics Work?

Integrated

Academic Support:

Students attended in person classes provided by school

Did the School Support Academics?


Didn't support	Definitely supported

Overall Program Grades

Overall Dance Instruction:

Career Support and Placement:

Emotional Support:

Housing & Food:

Performance Opportunities:

Overall Comments

Program's Best Aspect:

My child spent 5 years at the school and I struggle to find any spect which was good.

Program's Worst Aspect:

My child was bullied throughout and although the school knew about it and who it was, they did nothing.

What Changes Would Be Helpful?

The quality of training was incredibly poor and student relied on private outside training.

Anything Else We Should Know?

There school prides itself on training its student to be injury resilient by training them slowly and accurately. But out of 16 girls, only 6 remained in year 11, and only one non UK student went through to the upper school. For anyone wishing to attend RBS Upper School, train privately instead of White Lodge and you will have greater chance of success.

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