Courses
The NSW International Ballet Academy trains the students using The Royal Academy of Dance syllabus.
The Royal Academy of Dance is the largest examining and teacher education organisation for classical ballet in the world. With over 17,000 members, its influence has spread to over 84 countries and it has a network of international offices and representatives. Each year more than 250,000 students are taught the Academy’s examination syllabi.
The RAD offers an internationally recognised portfolio of examinations and assessments designed to encourage, motivate and reward students of all ages and abilities, outlining a progressive structure for learning and achievement.
Classes start with the NSW International Ballet Academy Twinkle Toes program, and then move up through the first RAD Graded levels (Pre-Primary in Dance and Primary in Dance), and then into five Vocational Graded levels.
RAD Examinations are offered to all students attending the required number of classes per week. We believe that examinations provide an attainable goal for students to work towards and are encouraged by the Academy, however they are not compulsory at Grade levels.
Part Time Training
RAD Grades
The NSW International Ballet Academy offers classes for 3 year olds up to 12 year olds in its Junior Levels. The classes are arranged from Tiny Tots, Pre-Primary, Primary, and Grade 1 to Grade 5. Primary to Grade 5 students are required to attend two ballet classes per week.
RAD Examinations are offered to all students attending the required number of classes per week. We believe that examinations provide an attainable goal for students to work towards and are encouraged by the Academy, however they are not compulsory at Grade levels.
The RAD Graded Examination in Dance syllabus:
- Focuses on ballet (including elements of freer and progressive styles, appropriate for today’s dancer) and character,
- Includes Graded Examinations (Primary in Dance – Grade 8), Class Awards (Pre-Primary in Dance – Grade 3), Presentation Classes (Grades 4-8) and Solo Performance Awards (Grades 1-3), and
- Is appropriate for candidates from the ages of 5 years.
RAD Vocational Levels
The senior years at the NSW International Ballet Academy are for students aged above 11 years. We offer classes in Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus for Vocational Level students.
The vocational program includes examinations at Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced Foundation, Advanced 1 and 2. Students may sit their Vocational Graded Examinations in the Sydney 1st session during May, or Sydney 2nd during October/November of each year. Progression through these levels is very individual and students will be encouraged to sit their examinations when they attain the necessary standard.
The RAD Vocational Graded Examination in Dance syllabus:
- Builds on the elements covered in the Graded syllabus, focusing on the performance of ballet to an advanced standard, and is intended for students who wish to pursue a career in dance,
- Comprises examinations at six levels from Intermediate Foundation to Solo Seal Award, and
- Is suitable for candidates form the age of 11 years.
Transition
For students in academic years 6 and 7, we offer a one or two day a week transition course. Those students come out of their usual academic school on the allocated days and attend our full time program instead. Entry to this program is via inviation or audition and is only offered to the most dedicated students. Those students need to take responsibility to ensure that missed academic work is kept up with, and as such, the course should not be undertaken lightly.
The transition course allows students to extend their training beyond their normal age classes and challenges them to achieve their personal best.
Full Time Courses
Full Time Training
The Full Time Course offered by the NSW International Ballet Academy is unique throughout Australia and is designed for elite students wishing to pursue a career in dance.
We offer a small number of places per year accepted by invitation or audition only to allow for intense individual training, corrections and nurturing. We emphasise individual attention in small classes. Our rigorous training program, combined with a nurturing environment, results in an unmatched 100% placement rate for all full time graduates. We are the only Academy in Australia to boast such an impressive record of placements.
Our full time faculty is a combination of ex-professional dancers who have now trained to become teachers, and career teachers who have dedicated themselves to nurturing the next generation of professional dancers. Each senior teacher is fully invested in bringing out the individual strengths of each dancer and working with them to address their personal areas for improvement. Our small program allows us to uniquely focus on each student, rather than having huge classes where students regularly get lost amongst the large number of students.
The exceptionally high standard that is produced at the NSW International Ballet Academy is evidenced by our impressive record of students gaining places at top international finishing schools such as The Royal Ballet School, Palucca Hochscule for Tanz, Mannheim Hochschule for Performing Arts, Munich Hochschule for Theatre and Arts, Rambert, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, Royal New Zealand Ballet School, Houston Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet School in Chicago and many others.
The vast majority of our students have then progressed further to professional performace careers, with graduates currently dancing professionally at Staatstheatre Berlin, Ballet Am Rhein, Wroclaw Opera Ballet, Saalandiches Staatstheater, Divadlo F.X. Saldy Liberec and MN Dance Comany Slovenia. Many of our graduates, having finished their performance careers, have returned to us to join our faculty of senior teachers providing the individual care and attention to the students who now follow in their footsteps.
Classes are held Monday to Friday during normal school hours and students are welcome to participate in any extra classes held in the evenings for after-school senior students. Saturday and Sunday classes are not required (unless performing) to allow our students time to rest, recover and to ensure academic study can be completed.
NSW International Ballet Academy is a proud partner of the Australian Homestay Network, which provides carefully selected homestay arranagements for students coming from overseas and interstate. To apply, or for morr information, please click below:
Academic study remains a priority for our full times students.
Students in Academic Years 8 – 10
Students who join our full time program are required by law to enrol in a distance education course of their parent or guardians choice. We are able to provide guidance regarding the options available, including Cairns Distance Education, Sydney Distance Education, Crimson Global Academy, the Australian Christian College, and others.
Students in Academic Years 11 and Above
For students who have completed Year 10 of their academic schooling (as required by law), we offer ground breaking, National Recognised Qualifications of a Certificate IV in Dance CUA40120 in their first year of training, followed by an Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance) CUA60120 in their second year of vocational training. These courses are run in partnership with Australian Teachers of Dancing (RTO31624) and provide qualifications up to one level below a degree qualification. These programs are delivered and assessed in house by our Executive Director, Susan Anderssen.
The courses encompass a “whole of person” approach to dance training and includes our internationally renowned standard of technical and artistic training plus topics on wellness, nutrition, safe dance practices, anatomy and so on, along with detailed practical advice and assistance on entering the dance industry.