A Day in the Life of a White Lodge Student at The Royal Ballet School
Nestled in London’s Richmond Park, White Lodge is home to The Royal Ballet School’s 11-16-year-old full-time students. The dancers make memories to last a lifetime when boarding at this former Royal hunting lodge.
The historic building retains many of its original features but also offers state-of-the-art studios, accommodation, a 250-seater theatre that converts into a studio, and a dining hall. The recreational facilities are impressive too, from the heated indoor swimming pool to the football pitch, tennis and netball court, and common rooms packed with games.
From training in classical ballet to studying academic lessons and attending talks from some of ballet’s finest, the White Lodge experience is like no other.
What Does a Day in the Life Look Like for a White Lodge student?
Mornings At The Royal Ballet School
Students wake up at 7 a.m. in time for a nutritious breakfast in the canteen at 7:30. This fuels them for the variety of classes lined up that day.
A classical ballet session begins at 8:30 and usually involves cardio to help students warm up. After this, dancers move to the barre and then the centre for corner work. Instructors teach classical ballet classes based on the School’s System of Training to help dancers develop their artistry and technique.
Next, the dancers take their academic classes. They study subjects like Maths, English, Science, Languages, Humanities, and the Arts. As they progress through the full-time training at White Lodge, their academic classes focus on GCSE/iGCSE preparation and examination.
Following academic classes, students practise dance styles outside of ballet, like character, contemporary, folk, and jazz. They also practise sports like fencing.
Afternoons At The Royal Ballet School
After a busy morning, students enjoy a lunch-break at 1 p.m. in the dining hall. Sometimes special guests like Dr Rupy (of The Doctor’s Kitchen) prepare meals for them.
(Special guests from the ballet industry, like Lauren Cuthbertson and Ed Watson, also visit to talk to students on occasion. These talks are much looked forward to.)
After lunch, a student’s schedule may include Pilates or strength and conditioning in the Healthcare Suite. An in-house healthcare team ensures each student receives the physical and mental support they need to flourish as healthy dancers.
Students can also book appointments to visit the nurse at any time in the Healthcare Suite using the Smartabase app on their iPads.
In the afternoons, the dancers sometimes rehearse for performances. Many of these performances involve collaborating with The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet. Students perform with both companies on the Royal Opera House stage.
For example, White Lodge students often play the children’s roles in The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Many of the principals in this ballet are alumni of the School, too. Other Royal Ballet performances that students feature in include Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, and Mayerling. Some students have even toured with the company in Japan.
Many students also have music lessons in preparation for Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) examinations. They sometimes perform for friends and family in the School’s Carol Concert too, which takes place at the local Christ Church in East Sheen.
Evenings At The Royal Ballet School
Between the first class and 4 p.m., students will have completed four hours of academic lessons and two hours of ballet class on top of any extra classes or rehearsals.
At this point, it’s time to enjoy dinner together, and then they complete their homework. There’s always quiet time in dorms after this for students to read or listen to music before bedtime.
The School has split the dorms based on year group and gender, and students describe boarding as like having a sleepover with friends. From the moment they join in Year 7 and receive their Royal Ballet School teddy to the moment they graduate, the boarding experience is a special one.
Weekends At The Royal Ballet School
Mealtimes and bedtimes are more flexible at the weekends, when students have fewer dance classes and rehearsals.
Many students visit family at home and/or partake in staff-organised outings and activities. Favourite trips include going bowling, watching a film at the cinema, or visiting local parks. Favourite activities include discos, baking, and arts and crafts.
Sometimes the School hosts special events too, like a Royal Coronation dinner party, cream tea, and scavenger hunt.
Learn more about life at White Lodge.
About The Royal Ballet School
Around 125 Royal Ballet School students attend White Lodge. When they reach Year 11, they can audition to join Upper School, where they can continue training for professional dance careers. The School selects candidates for its full-time training based only on skill and potential in classical ballet. As such, 88% of students receive financial support to attend.
Many dancers progress onto esteemed careers with world-leading ballet companies, often the ones they got involved with during their time at school.
