Majors ballet… professional ballet training for talented young dancers.
Our Majors ballet programme provides intensive training in the Royal Academy of Dance Vocational Graded syllabus.
Students can audition for entry from Grade 2 upward. Younger students will spend their first year working on flexibility, core strength, understanding and developing technique, and performance work. They will be better prepared for the syllabus work and exam preparation in following years. Any older students gaining entry to the scheme will have intensive training in the set work in preparation for the exam so that they can progress to Intermediate level. Students will also have a programme of compulsory workshop sessions and optional performance opportunities to enhance their training.
We hope this approach will be beneficial for the dancers and provide them with a fuller dance education. It will give us the opportunity to apply current training techniques and research without the pressure of mixed classes and examination work.
Annual auditions
Due to the demanding nature of the RAD Vocational syllabus and examinations, entry to the programme is by annual audition. The auditions are open to ballet students currently studying RAD Grades 2+ or equivalent. Each candidate receives a letter with a short report on their performance based on the comments of the panel. Unfortunately, not all students are suited, either physically or emotionally, for this syllabus and may be encourage to further their training in other dance styles.
Training and classes
Students in the programme will attend 2 Majors ballet classes each week alongside at least one other graded ballet class and other dance styles. It is important to have a well-balanced dance training, even with a ballet focus. Majors students are encouraged to audition for associate schemes (e.g. Scottish Ballet, Royal Ballet) and to attend holiday courses across scotland and the UK. They will also have a demanding rehearsal and performance schedule, particularly at display time.
The programme is a big commitment and demands dedication from both students and their parents.