European Ballet Schools 16+

[Swanwings]

Hello, this is my first post so please excuse me if I make mistakes.

 

My dd is year 10 at a vocational school, so auditions are approaching for a 16+ school. She plans to apply for all the major UK schools, but we would like to look at other European options as well.

 

Does anyone have any reccommendations for classical schools further afield? Particularly any which are good with young English students; she will be only just 16 when she starts and does not speak any other languages (apart from GCSE French). The closer the better to the UK!

 

Also; I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows of which types of dancer might suit different schools? 

 

Any thoughts would be wonderful,

 

many thanks

 

 

[Ruby Foo]

Dutch National and European School of ballet in Amsterdam are both infiltrated with British dancers and I’ve never heard of the language being an issue. Both excellent schools.

Princess Grace in Monaco. No issue with language there as mostly international students. 
Without a dual citizenship some European school’s cannot accept students for more than 3 months. This did apply to ESB who did not have university status but may have changed.

[Swanwings]

19 minutes ago, Ruby Foo said:

Dutch National and European School of ballet in Amsterdam are both infiltrated with British dancers and I’ve never heard of the language being an issue. Both excellent schools.

Princess Grace in Monaco. No issue with language there as mostly international students. 
Without a dual citizenship some European school’s cannot accept students for more than 3 months. This did apply to ESB who did not have university status but may have changed.

Thank you Rubu Foo, this is a great place to start. 

[Pas de Quatre]

John Cranko school in Stuttgart, Hamburg school - John Neumier. In UK have you looked at King's International or Edinburgh Festival Ballet School?

[Swanwings]

26 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said:

John Cranko school in Stuttgart, Hamburg school - John Neumier. In UK have you looked at King's International or Edinburgh Festival Ballet School?

Thank you for the recommendations

[Birdy]

Dutch National Ballet teaches in English. They don’t offer housing, so that can be a bit of an issue. At 16 students are generally accepted into the highest level of the regular school, then audition for the AD two year program in the spring. Usually if they take international students at 16 they are confident they’ll successfully transition to the AD program. The school starts the process for the residency permit, which can be issued for up to five years, but is usually valid throughout the term of study. 

[Swanwings]

17 minutes ago, Birdy said:

Dutch National Ballet teaches in English. They don’t offer housing, so that can be a bit of an issue. At 16 students are generally accepted into the highest level of the regular school, then audition for the AD two year program in the spring. Usually if they take international students at 16 they are confident they’ll successfully transition to the AD program. The school starts the process for the residency permit, which can be issued for up to five years, but is usually valid throughout the term of study. 

Thank you Birdy, thats really helpful to know

[Peanut68]

8 hours ago, Birdy said:

Dutch National Ballet teaches in English. They don’t offer housing, so that can be a bit of an issue. At 16 students are generally accepted into the highest level of the regular school, then audition for the AD two year program in the spring. Usually if they take international students at 16 they are confident they’ll successfully transition to the AD program. The school starts the process for the residency permit, which can be issued for up to five years, but is usually valid throughout the term of study. 

Apologies as am not familiar with terminology…. Can you enlighten me as to what the AD programme is please… thanks in advance!

[Birdy]

Sorry, it is an Associate’s Degree program. They run the final two years of Dutch National Ballet Academy through the Amsterdam University of the Arts. It isn’t super academic—mostly just class time spent on things like anatomy and dance history the first year. I believe second year is just dance and choreography. Students have the option of adding a third year to get a bachelor’s degree or they can return to the school after they stop dancing professionally and do the third year.

[Peanut68]

So third year is like the ‘top up degree’ here? eg. Rambert, Central 

[Birdy]

I’m from the US, so I’m not familiar with a “top up degree.” The bachelor’s degree is basically for becoming a classical ballet teacher.

[Bizzymum]

Sorry to jump on your post but my 16 year old DS has been offered a place at the Dutch National Ballet Academy on the associate degree course. Can anyone give me more information about accommodation?

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @Bizzymum and welcome to the Forum!

[Swanwings]

32 minutes ago, Bizzymum said:

Sorry to jump on your post but my 16 year old DS has been offered a place at the Dutch National Ballet Academy on the associate degree course. Can anyone give me more information about accommodation?

Hi Bizzymum, I couldnt find anything much either when I looked on the website. My dd is looking to apply next year so I'm just doing some research. I was thinking I would have to ask the school for help with this. Tricky situation for young 16 year olds though.

[Birdy]

Housing is really tough in Amsterdam. The school has a couple of apartments that sometimes have a room available for the kids, but they usually use those for kids in the highest level of the regular school. I know of one 16-year-old who is staying with a Dutch woman, but I’m not sure how they found/arranged that situation. Perhaps that student will move into an apartment next year and the woman would take on a new student. AD students generally rent an apartment with a fellow student. There is a weird new rule in Amsterdam where only two unrelated people can register in an apartment, so you can’t get a bigger place and have three students share. Also, apartments are allowed to list as “no sharing” and only rent to couples and not students. There is a place called The Social Hub (used to be The Student Hotel) with two locations in Amsterdam. The City location is the most convenient for the school. It is basically a hotel room with a shared kitchen down the hall. About 12 students share each kitchen. Laundry is free, there is a small gym, and it includes a bike. It is shockingly expensive (a bit over €50/night) compared to sharing an apartment and rooms get booked within a couple of hours of registration opening for the semester. 

 

I don’t mean any of this to sound discouraging. The school is very international, has great training, and is a very positive place. The kids all do fine living on their own. They socialize together and support one another—perhaps not all living together eases some of the pressure students feel in a boarding school situation. The city feels really safe and manageable. I am about 5500 miles away from my daughter as we speak and have absolutely no regrets about sending her there. 

[Kerfuffle]

European School of Ballet can’t accept British students for longer than 3 months so unless you have a EU passport there is no point in applying. I found this out very recently for my year 11 DD. 

[Birdy]

Perhaps because it isn’t also considered and academic school? At Dutch National you can get a residency permit that lasts a few months past the two year school enrollment. The university initiates the process.

[Kerfuffle]

Ah That might explain it. It’s a post Brexit  problem facing U.K. students only apparently ! 

[Bizzymum]

45 minutes ago, Birdy said:

Housing is really tough in Amsterdam. The school has a couple of apartments that sometimes have a room available for the kids, but they usually use those for kids in the highest level of the regular school. I know of one 16-year-old who is staying with a Dutch woman, but I’m not sure how they found/arranged that situation. Perhaps that student will move into an apartment next year and the woman would take on a new student. AD students generally rent an apartment with a fellow student. There is a weird new rule in Amsterdam where only two unrelated people can register in an apartment, so you can’t get a bigger place and have three students share. Also, apartments are allowed to list as “no sharing” and only rent to couples and not students. There is a place called The Social Hub (used to be The Student Hotel) with two locations in Amsterdam. The City location is the most convenient for the school. It is basically a hotel room with a shared kitchen down the hall. About 12 students share each kitchen. Laundry is free, there is a small gym, and it includes a bike. It is shockingly expensive (a bit over €50/night) compared to sharing an apartment and rooms get booked within a couple of hours of registration opening for the semester. 

 

I don’t mean any of this to sound discouraging. The school is very international, has great training, and is a very positive place. The kids all do fine living on their own. They socialize together and support one another—perhaps not all living together eases some of the pressure students feel in a boarding school situation. The city feels really safe and manageable. I am about 5500 miles away from my daughter as we speak and have absolutely no regrets about sending her there. 

Thank you so much, this is really helpful 

[Birdy]

We’re from the US, so it’s a problem for us as well. I would give anything to be an EU citizen at this point!

[Swanwings]

2 hours ago, Kerfuffle said:

European School of Ballet can’t accept British students for longer than 3 months so unless you have a EU passport there is no point in applying. I found this out very recently for my year 11 DD. 

Thank you for this, can I ask how you found out? I've been wondering about this but didnt find anything.

[Mystique]

For European School of Ballet dancers that are not a part of the EU can do a 90 day internship but then have to leave the country for 90 days before they can return.  The information on that can be found on the ESB website.  From my understanding this is because it is not an academic program as well so they can't do the extended student visa for the younger programs.  I think there is something different for the Trainee Program (but not 100%).

https://schoolofballet.eu/programs/training/internship-training/

 

 

[Kerfuffle]

1 hour ago, Swanwings said:

Thank you for this, can I ask how you found out? I've been wondering about this but didnt find anything.

I wrote to them to ask and they told me that if you go for 3 months you then can’t return for 3 months so basically it’s impossible to study there properly. I didn’t get the impression  that any attempt had been made to resolve this situation either! I guess they have enough prospective students from other places. 
 

Sorry just read the message above, 90 days is the correct amount of time quoted! 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Kerfuffle

[Kerfuffle]

Can anyone tell me how big the year groups are at Hamburg and if many 16 year olds join? 

[Neverdancedjustamum]

8 hours ago, Kerfuffle said:

Can anyone tell me how big the year groups are at Hamburg and if many 16 year olds join? 

I once saw a class photo of around that age/year group at Hamburg and I counted approximately 22 girls (slightly less boys, maybe 16). I personally know someone (not British) who joined when she was 14. I also think there’s a British girl there (if still there) who joined after Year 11 from Elmhurst. I am guessing entry at 16 will be the most popular out of all age groups. 

[Kerfuffle]

Thanks. It’s always so hard to get hold of these numbers! 

[munchkin16]

I don’t know specific details on the school but I spotted one of the Prix dancers this year was from Basel ballet school in Switzerland. Having lived there for a few months I know there was a really strong ballet scene with some wonderful teachers in the area. From what I heard from them the school has a good reputation and it’s an incredibly small and safe city. Flights are almost always very cheap, it’s a quick and easy journey. Might be another one to explore.

[Mystique]

I am pretty sure they shut Basel down this year and may not reopen it.  We knew someone that was all set to go for Fall of 2023 is how I heard of it.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/abuse-accusations--basel-ballet-school-shuts-training-division/48101138#:~:text=At the end of October,broken bones and eating disorders.

 

[munchkin16]

Goodness definitely ignore my recommendation there then!

[Neverdancedjustamum]

Oslo KHIO and TAZ (Zurich) has/had British trained students although I can’t be certain if they are studying there under a different nationality/passport. I know that friends with children who have dual citizenship, one of which is EU, have lots more choices in terms of schools they want to go to full time.

[MaguiRP]

We have some experience of French schools.  The Opera Ballet School in Paris and Rosella Hightower in Cannes.  In general, the process starts way later than the UK and it can be difficult to find information.  The websites are not fantastic.  The information only became available early in the new year.  The Opera Ballet School requires a video and pictures, and I believe this is all due in March.  The English translation is not fantastic, so I would encourage you to call and find out about their process.

 

For Rosella HIghtower, the first opportunity is in mid/late April.  There is also July auditions.  The process here is all in one day with first round early in the morning and second round in the afternoon.  Very few make it through!  Also, they go by year of birth rather than school year.  So my dd was 2006 birthday while some of her friends were 2007.  They were all year 11, but my dd was put in with the older year audition and her friend was for the younger year (two different dates)

 

From what I gathered, lack of French is not a problem as they adapt quickly.  

 

Hope this helps!

[Ebonee]

On 15/09/2023 at 23:58, MaguiRP said:

We have some experience of French schools.  The Opera Ballet School in Paris and Rosella Hightower in Cannes.  In general, the process starts way later than the UK and it can be difficult to find information.  The websites are not fantastic.  The information only became available early in the new year.  The Opera Ballet School requires a video and pictures, and I believe this is all due in March.  The English translation is not fantastic, so I would encourage you to call and find out about their process.

 

For Rosella HIghtower, the first opportunity is in mid/late April.  There is also July auditions.  The process here is all in one day with first round early in the morning and second round in the afternoon.  Very few make it through!  Also, they go by year of birth rather than school year.  So my dd was 2006 birthday while some of her friends were 2007.  They were all year 11, but my dd was put in with the older year audition and her friend was for the younger year (two different dates)

 

From what I gathered, lack of French is not a problem as they adapt quickly.  

 

Hope this helps!

My DD is interested in Rosella, do you know anything more about the audition process, do you know if they accept video auditions? Also do you know anything if the fees? I’m trying to navigate their website with difficulty : )