London Russian Ballet School

Childrens & Teenagers Ballet

The Russian system insists on strong technique but more than that an understanding of what that technique is. In other words students understand why they are doing an exercise. This is not always the case with students we encounter from other schools who seem to go through the motions without an insight into what they are doing or how difficult it can be.

We have a very strong outreach work in the local community of Lambeth. From the weekly work we undertake in the schools we have encouraged boys and girls to come to the studio for classes. These children are already forming a loyal grass roots for a future generation of well trained dancers. All the children mix with each other and background is immaterial. It is our ambition to grow a real World Class Russian Ballet school here in Lambeth.
With the young children that we have, whether from the outreach work or through ordinary classes, we aim to provide a solid technique without destroying the unique joyful expressiveness of the young child or the individual grace of either boy or girl.

Classes often start with floor work, as is usual in Russian schools and then move to the barre. Discipline is firm but every movement is explained as properly as possible. Exams are taken at the end of each year but a pass is not guaranteed. It is necessary to pass in order to move to the next level. However, we do not use exams until the age of 10 -11, as it serves little purpose other than to make the class repetitive and boring for the child.
There are pointe classes for the more advanced girls in accordance with their strength and technique. Pas de deux is also part of the daytime timetable.