My Journey to becoming a Royal Ballet Affiliate Teacher

I was very fortunate to have received an excellent level of recreational training and I am passionate about providing that at my school. I am committed to my ongoing professional and personal development. I enrol in tonnes of CPD courses each year and am always looking for ways to improve what I do. This is my life’s work.

I have always enjoyed teaching ‘around’ The Royal Academy Syllabi and have often questioned the usefulness of purely teaching syllabus settings to children week after week. I have been criticised for ‘taking too long’ to train children for their Grades and some parents have departed purely because their interest lay only in acquiring medals and certificates for their children or ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’.  I like to spend a good proportion of the academic year, breaking down the syllabus and creating interesting training exercises to really embed the learning. This takes time, and I see most children for one hour a week.  

I am goal orientated and find most children are motivated by being set a challenge and then achieving their best. However, the RAD syllabus for most is a long road and they often get impatient along the way.

I predominately teach Junior School children as I feel this is my area of expertise. I have taught at higher levels, but I am passionate about laying good foundations for dance that will carry the children through wherever they graduate onto. I started my fascination with motor learning during my Psychology degree, but it was attending The Royal Ballet Training course Inspire 2 which really cemented my understanding of its importance. I loved the discussions on motor development, and it has informed my practice, but I am thirsty to develop this knowledge area.

I will never be a lazy teacher that repetitively rehearses exam settings over and over with no thought as to who the children are in front of me. I will always put the child at the centre of the learning, thinking a great deal about their strengths and areas for development. I established my own pedagogy, theories, and development exercises over the years through reflective practice, CPD courses, mentors and observing some fantastic dance teachers in action. I was keen to challenge this further and that’s why I enrolled on The Royal Ballet School’s brand-new Teacher Training Programme, ATAP (Affiliate Training and Assessment Programme).

I am learning from experts at The Royal Ballet School the best way to teach the highest quality of recreational dance. I have learned so much in the past year about how to develop children’s knowledge and broaden their experience. I am enjoying the freedom to be innovative and versatile. The children are more engaged for sure and have an environment to achieve their own personal bests, whatever that means for them.

As one parent to another, I would ask you a very important question ‘do you want me to teach your child to dance? or teach them to pass an exam?’. These two things look very different in the classroom and will feel very different as a student. Of course, given the opportunity & correct training hours I can do both, but I would urge all parents to consider the value in their child’s journey with dance rather than their scores in an exam.

What have students said about ATAP?:

‘I love the freedom to make up my own choreography’ – Molly Year 6

‘The lessons are more fun, not as pressurised. I love the variety’ – Jodie Year 6

‘I feel like I’m learning more techniques and enjoy it being different each week’ – Charlotte Year 6