Our Associates programme offers ballet and contemporary dance training for students aged 7-19 who have a passion to perform.

Our programme focusses on enhancing balletic technique, whilst also providing an environment for students to develop their artistic performance levels and confidence during repertoire and creative classes.

Throughout the course students will work with a diverse variety of teachers and choreographers, all of whom have worked, or are currently working, within renowned ballet and performing arts companies around the world.

The 21-day programme, based in Birmingham, provides young aspiring dancers with the opportunity to develop their balletic technique, to learn new dance vocabulary and to develop their performance, artistry and confidence.

Students will be challenged throughout the course in a safe and enjoyable environment, with teachers and choreographers who have worked, or are currently working, within renowned ballet and performing arts companies around the world.

The programme also offers the optional opportunity to take part in contemporary classes alongside the ballet course.

Each week students will firstly take part in a ballet class, which will focus on enhancing balletic technique. This will then be followed by a creative class within which students will learn repertoire from renowned ballets as well as unique pieces created by the artistic team.

Students will take part in 2 hours of ballet training each week, with the option of taking an additional 1 hour contemporary class afterwards (apart from the youngest age group, which is 1.5hrs of ballet followed by 30mins of contemporary)

Students will train for 20 sessions before taking part in a showcase performance during the 21st session to parents and guardians.

We are passionate about performance and strongly believe that dance education should consist of technical classes alongside repertoire and creative classes.

Not only will students focus on improving ballet technique, but every week they will take part in creative classes, within which students will learn to perform repertoire from renowned ballets as well as unique pieces created by the artistic teaching team.

As well as this, our core aim is to create an environment in which students can learn from a diverse teaching faculty from many different ballet and performing arts backgrounds. Each week students will learn from a diverse variety of different teachers, enabling them to broaden their outlook and gain a greater appreciation for the different interpretations and contributions that individual teachers and choreographers bring to the studio.

At the end of the course students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their learnings in a showcase in front of parents and guardians.

Please note, this showcase will be much smaller and more intimate in comparison to the Midland Theatre Ballet performance.

There will be 5 age groups as follows (these are subject to change and final confirmation will be sent out before the course begins):

Juniors (ages 7-9)

Mids (ages 10-12)

Seniors (ages 13+)

The course will take place on the following Saturdays:

Audition Dates: 8th October, 15th October

2022

November: 12th, 19th, 26th

December: 3rd

2023

January: 7th, 14th, 21st

February: 4th, 11th, 18th

March: 4th, 18th

April: 15th, 22nd

May: 6th, 13th, 20th

June: 10th, 17th, 24th, 25th (showcase day – Sunday)

Please note, timings and groupings are subject to change before the course starts.

All students will take part in the Ballet course, but the Contemporary course is an optional extra.

Juniors Ballet (ages 7-9): 09:30-11:00

Juniors Contemporary (ages 7-9): 11:05-11:35

Mids Ballet (ages 10-12): 11:35-13:35

Mids Contemporary (ages 10-12): 13:40-14:40

Senior Ballet (ages 13+): 14:40-16:40

Senior Contemporary (ages 13+): 16:45-17:45

Juniors (ages 7-9): £480 per year (+ optional weekly contemporary class for additional £100 per year)

Mids (ages 10-12): £640 per year (+ optional weekly contemporary class for additional £200 per year)

Seniors (ages 13+): £640 per year (+ optional weekly contemporary class for additional £200 per year)

On accepting a place, a non-refundable deposit of £100 is required, which will also act as the first payment.

The remaining balance may be paid up front or in 8x monthly instalments.

When accepted onto the course, students will be sent a link to purchase the Associates leotard, which they will need to wear throughout the course.

Candidates will register in the reception area of BOA Academy. Once registered, we kindly ask that all parents leave the site once children have safely entered the audition. After the audition, students will be brought to the reception area for collection.

Exact timings will be sent across via email once you have submitted your application form. As part of the audition process, candidates will take part in a relaxed and enjoyable ballet class, which will last for approximately 1 hour. If you are successful, you will be invited back for the final audition.

For the audition, we recommend that dancers arrive with their ballet uniform underneath their clothes, with their hair and personal presentation in place as there will be no changing facilities available on the day.

Students will be informed on or before Wednesday 12th October if they have been awarded a place at finals or if they are unsuccessful.

All students who apply will be invited to the preliminary audition. Unfortunately it is not possible for us to invite every candidate back to the final audition, or to accept every candidate onto the course after the audition process as we aim to keep our group sizes at a level that ensures we offer high quality training and attention to students throughout the course.