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Students in the dance studio at St George's Ascot14 October 2024

A growing number of schools are offering high quality dance provision, both in recognition of its physical benefits and the way it can improve confidence and encourage creativity. Dance tuition can also open up new career opportunities. In no particular order we bring you nine of the best schools for fostering dancing excellence.

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts

Half the school day is dedicated to academic subjects, the rest to vocational training. For the latter, years 4-6 receive training in acting, singing and dancing; thereafter, students specialise in performing arts or dance – the latter covering ballet, contemporary, tap and jazz. The list of famous former students goes on forever but dancers include Rupert Pennefather, Charlotte Bruce and Dame Julie Andrews.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Tring Park School for the Performing Arts

Bede’s Senior School

Bede’s is home to the audition-based Legat Dance Academy, which offers 20 hours a week of dance tuition in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, with optional classes in, eg strength and conditioning and tap. Distinctions abound in exams (RAD ballet, ISTD contemporary dance, BTEC in performing arts etc) and many students go on to dance-based careers. Dance scholarships at 13+ and 16+.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Bede's Senior School

Cotham School

Dance is firmly in the DNA of this Bristol-based state school, where everyone does it for the first two years. From year 9, it’s part of PE and in year 10, there’s a BTEC in performing arts. Styles taking in contemporary, Capoeira, Bollywood and urban dance are taught and the extracurricular options include a boys’ dance company. Teachers are alumni of Laban, where many students go on to, alongside Rambert, London Contemporary and Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Cotham School

Dauntsey’s School

‘While boys at other schools sometimes shy away from strutting their stuff, Dauntsey’s has an all-boys dance group called GNI (Girls Not Invited),’ found our reviewer. All years 7 and 8 do dance including street dance and hip-hop, with GCSE and A level dance also available. Scholarships in dance at 13+ and performing arts at 16+. Some students go on to, eg London Contemporary Dance School and Trinity Laban Conservatoire.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Dauntsey’s School

ArtsEd Day School & Sixth Form

From years 7-11, pupils specialise in dance, drama or musical theatre. One major, and a whole raft of smaller, dance productions a year – all of exceptional standard. ‘But they’re not just dancing around in legwarmers all the time – the academics are really serious here,’ as a parent told our reviewer. The model is for academic and vocational teaching to be interspersed throughout the day.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of ArtsEd Day School & Sixth Form

Female ballet dances perform as an ensemble routine as part of Elmhurst Ballet School's summer showElmhurst Ballet School

Entrance is entirely via balletic ability for this dance school which partners with Birmingham Royal Ballet. ‘Leotard-clad students fill the multiple dance studios, and even to the untrained eye the talent, energy and determination are evident,’ our reviewer noted. Students’ time is split 50/50 between vocational training and academics. Alumni include Sarah Brightman, Hayley Mills and Melissa Hamilton.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Elmhurst Ballet School

Hillview School for Girls

Curriculum dance up to year 9 – unusual for a state school – and the take up beyond (including for dance GCSE and A level) is impressive. The three dance studios also host the dance academies: Accelerate and Momentum (auditions required). We were mesmerised by the confident and thoughtful year 13 class exploring choreography ideas - hierarchy and social class expressed through a game of chess, in one pupil’s case.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Hillview School for Girls

St George’s Ascot

On-site dance studio, annual dance show and strong links with the high-profile Natalie Vinson School of Dance all help attract promising dancers. There’s an array of dance clubs and drama is also timetabled from years 7-10 and offered at both GCSE and A level, supported by an annually refreshed director in residence. The ethos is developing confidence though performance – it clearly works as many pupils take their exams a year early.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of St George’s Ascot

Alleyn’s School

Dance is timetabled from year 7 and an option from year 9, with two full sets taking GCSE (for which choreography regularly gains top marks nationally). Students can also dance every lunchtime and after school, with four dance shows a year, and year 12s often choose a dance pathway for their EPQ. Recent leavers have gone on to the likes of Rambert and Central School of Ballet, as well as performing with ZooNation.

Read The Good Schools Guide review of Alleyn’s School

Other leading schools for dance include The BRIT School, Sylvia Young Theatre School, The Royal Ballet School, St Edward’s Oxford, Hurtwood House School, Frensham Heights, Queenswood and The King’s School Canterbury.

If you're keen to learn more about dance at school, check out our article on performing arts schools.

Image credits: (a) St George's School Ascot, (b) Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham

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