Dance training: Dancers are not born, but made

In the UK, there are 26 accredited dance schools, 21 of which are outside London. Choosing the right place to train is one of the most important decisions you will make as a dancer. Pragmatic issues such as finance and location may sway your decision, but you should also pay careful attention to the course programmes and the ethos of the schools you’re considering. Make sure the training and the school’s approach resonates with the kind of dancer that you want to become.

You will need to consider what you are aiming for: what makes a dancer great? What kind of dancer do you want to become? What is the industry is demanding? Dancers are made, not born. However great the innate attributes are, people don’t become dancers overnight. Training is everything.

Today’s perfect dancer is versatile: “They have not one foundation technique, but two, with competency in a third style or more,” says Rachel Rist, head of dance at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. She adds: “They are elite artists and athletes but they also need to be business savvy and self-aware enough to know what their USP is. They’re sharp, adaptable and resilient; driven and tenacious. When I audition dancers, I look for where they will fit in the industry.”

Robert Parker ex-principal of Birmingham Royal Ballet and director of Elmhurst School of Dance highlights fitness as a core quality and the ability to be collegial as well as autonomous: “Evolving industry standards are requiring dancers not only to be technically proficient with all the key ingredients such as aesthetic line, advanced technical skill, musicality and artistry. The industry also requires dancers to be at the peak of physical fitness, be extremely versatile and have a strong sense of creativity and autonomy, an eagerness to collaborate and bring forward their own thoughts and ideas and an awareness of self-health management.”

He adds: “We look for the physical attributes such as proportions, flexibility, line, use of turn out and footwork. Then there are the all-important areas such as quality of movement, dynamics, coordination and musicality. Last but not least is the sense of performance. In addition to an innate sense of presentation, I always desire to see a look of determination and hunger in a student and a body language which indicates a focused work ethic.”

Sarah Baker, head of dance at LIPA explains what she looks for. “Personality, passion, determination, discipline, a love of challenge, a need to perform, a need to train daily, a love of and connection to music and rhythm and the ability to collaborate with other artists.” Mark Featherstone Witty, co-founder and chief executive of LIPA, says of its dance course: “Our ethos in a nutshell, aside from perfecting specific discipline skills, is collaboration. Not only do we have students, from different disciplines, learning together and working together on events, productions and shows, but we teach each discipline with a parity of esteem. Because we integrate all the skills needed for putting on a professional show, we remain, I believe, uniquely able to encourage this collaborative ethos.”

Northern Ballet School stresses the importance of performance: “Alongside the necessary physical attributes, musicality and a versatile technique, a dancer must be able to portray great passion and emotion in their work, and have the ability to remain resilient in a competitive profession.”

Choreographers are the industry gatekeepers, so what do they believe sets one dancer apart form another? Javier de Frutos looks for dancers who inspire him. He defines the things he looks for in a dancer as: “Intelligence and an ability to be present, a willingness to take risks to the very end.” He adds: “If I’m going to spend a great deal of time in a studio I want to be surrounded with people I trust. It is not sport, it is theatre. I look for something unquantifiable that takes physical craft to something that would inspire me to create better work. I don’t like to audition, I like to workshop, because it really shows what people are made of. To choose someone from a crowd in under 90 minutes is just wrong.”

Etta Murfitt, associate director of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company, describes the ideal performer: “A dancer who grabs an idea that’s given, picks up detail and just has a go. Someone who is just being themselves and who is clean with their dancing but is connecting to their emotions, using their breath.”

Murfitt also stresses the importance of partner work. “A basic knowledge of ballroom can be helpful. We’ve noticed that a lot of dancers can’t do partner work. That’s something that’s integral in New Adventures work, but also in lots of other work. Having basic knowledge in classical and contemporary partner work and knowing how to waltz will give you more chance of getting work.”

Choreographer Stephen Mear points out that it is the dancers that communicate who catch his eye: “A passion and flair for dance, you can spot people who have that fire inside that feeds them in auditions, it’s a pure love for what they do.” He also looks for versatility: “Dancers who are able to sing, dance and act well. Musicals with small casts may require people to double up as understudies to parts.” He adds that it pays to be prepared: “Do your research of the show you’re auditioning for and bring appropriate material for the period if possible. Bring extra shoes in case they need you to do a variety of different styles of dance. Make it your business to learn about the people who are going to be in the room – the choreographer, director, musical director or casting director.”

All dance training providers offer performance opportunities and many provide access to professional workshops and guest teachers. Looking at how schools encourage and develop the attributes endorsed by the industry tells a prospective student much about the kind of training environment the school offers. Guidance on routes into the profession should be paramount. The best schools prepare students for the realities of the industry into which they are entering by helping them to take responsibility for their future early on.

Tring Park’s three-year professional dance course encourages student autonomy with a range of optional extra morning classes allowing pupils to take greater ownership of their progress. The course structure promotes versatility with a core foundation year encompassing classical ballet, contemporary dance and jazz before students are allowed to specialise in their final two years of training. Tring’s impressive commitment to “cherish the individual” means that academic study is facilitated for those wishing to complete A levels alongside their dance training. Rist says: “We want to not only prepare students for great performance careers, but nurture the next generation of movers and shakers.”

Parker comments: “The school takes a holistic approach to training; with equal emphasis on the three components: live, dance and learn. We aim to create elite classical ballet dancers who are healthy, well-rounded human beings. Throughout their training, students attend talks from industry bodies such as Equity, One Dance UK and NIDMS; financial planning education including budgeting, tax and insurance; direction on researching professional dance companies and targeted careers guidance to identify relevant and appropriate companies.”

LIPA’s Sarah Baker says: “We run professional development modules across all years of the BA (hons) dance programme, which prepare students for self-employment in the performing arts. This includes everything from audition preparation and self-promotion to taxes and business planning. The dance team works exceedingly hard to maintain and create new links with leading professionals in the dance industry.”

Great dancers are artists and athletes – versatile and sharp, adaptable and tenacious. They need to understand business and their own abilities. It is vital for them to be passionate but disciplined, sensitive yet resilient. They must be autonomous but equally able to work in a team. Some will be drawn to dance because they are many of these things already. For others, training will instil and nurture these characteristics to pave the way for previously undreamt of opportunities.

Schools bear a responsibility to prepare their students for the  career on which they are embarking. Dancers need to be fully informed on the industry and well-versed in all aspects of the freelance, self-employed career they are about to begin.

Above all, a desire and commitment for continual learning is the most important attribute a school can foster. A great dancer, even on graduation, is hungry to keep progressing. An astounding technique might see a dancer into their first job, but the drive and desire to grow and the ability to evolve within the industry are the qualities that will see a dancer through an entire career.

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Selected Courses

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts: Trinity National Diploma in Professional Dance

The three year (sixth form) dance course delivers the core subjects of classical ballet, contemporary dance and jazz for the first foundation year. Students can then choose to specialise further in classical ballet or contemporary dance for their final two years of training. Classical ballet course students major in ballet and minor in contemporary dance. The majority of their studies are focused on improving technical and artistic standards in ballet. Allied subjects such as pas de deux, repertoire, pointe work, and solos are taken alongside rehearsals for performances. Dance course students major in contemporary dance and minor in jazz dance, but also have a ballet class every day. They study at least two different genres of contemporary dance. tringpark.com

LIPA: BA (honours) in dance

The first year of the course is focused on foundation technique. The fundamentals of choreography are also studied alongside acting, singing and voice training. In year two, a greater diversity of styles is introduced, with supplementary skills such as aerial work and the chance to work alongside musicians, designers and technicians towards a major performance. Training culminates with a final year of contextual study and showcasing opportunities. lipa.ac.uk

Elmhurst School for Dance: National Certificate in Professional Classical Ballet: Three-year National Diploma in Professional Dance, validated by Trinity College London

Elmhurst School For Dance believes it is not sufficient for dance students to be proficient in classical ballet alone. For this reason Elmhurst offers a comprehensive programme to include contemporary, jazz and flamenco. The classical ballet curriculum is supported by Mat Mattox-based jazz technique and Cunningham/Graham-based contemporary technique. Students also study pas de deux, solos, upper body for male students, pointe work for female students and repertoire in conjunction with Birmingham Royal Ballet. elmhurstdance.co.uk

Northern Ballet School: Diploma in Professional Dance, validated by Trinity College London

Northern Ballet School offers a three-year diploma in dance with either a jazz or ballet focus. During year one all students study a variety of styles. In years two and three, students can choose to specialise in either jazz theatre or ballet. Core subjects are complemented by a number of other subjects during the three years including performance and contextual studies as well as ancillary subjects such as pilates and body conditioning. northernballetschool.co.uk