From September 2026, The Royal Ballet School will expand its national Associate Programme to offer regional training at Dance City in Newcastle.
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© 2026 Dance City
This new location will increase the School's total Associate centre count to nine across the UK, alongside existing centres in Birmingham, Eastleigh, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, and Manchester, and the recently announced centres in Cardiff and Stroud, to continue encouraging and supporting talent nationwide.
The new Newcastle Associate centre will be based at Dance City's state-of-the-art, purpose-built dance studios in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Established for almost 40 years, Dance City is the North East's leading development organisation for dance, dedicated to leading and supporting a thriving dance ecology in the region.
From September 2026, Dance City will host the School's Junior Associate (8-11 years) classes every Sunday for 32 weeks in the academic year, and from 2027, the School intends to extend this to include Mid Associate (11-14 years) classes.
Created in 1948 by the School's Founder, Dame Ninette de Valois, The Royal Ballet School's Associate Programme widens access to ballet through offering high-quality ballet training close to home for students aged 8 to 18 across the UK.
The programme is designed to complement an individual's regular ballet classes and introduce them to The Royal Ballet School's System of Training, alongside other children who share a passion for dance. Pupils continue to study with their local dance teacher in addition to their weekly Associate classes. 90% of entrants into the School come from the national Associate centres.
Following the closure of their previous Newcastle centre in 2024, this announcement signals a new chapter for the School in the North East and comes at a momentous time as the institution celebrates 100 years of nurturing the next generation of dancers.
Victoria Collinson, Head of Associates and Primary Steps Programmes, said of this announcement:
"This is an exciting new development for the School and we hope it will be the next step in seeking out and training more of the UK's most talented young dancers."
Anand Bhatt, Artistic Director and CEO of Dance City, added:
"We are proud to host The Royal Ballet School Associate Programme in the North East. By bringing world-class pre-vocational ballet training to Dance City, the programme strengthens our shared mission to make exceptional dance opportunities accessible to as many young people as possible in the region."
Applications for the September 2026 intake of the School's Junior Associate programme open on Wednesday, 25 February 2026. Click here for more information and to apply.
Learn more about Dance City here.
About The Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School was founded in 1926 by Dame Ninette de Valois and is one of the world's leading centres for classical ballet training. The School is the UK's foremost institution for professional ballet education and an internationally recognised centre of excellence.
Graduates go on to professional careers with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and other leading UK and international companies. Admission is based purely on talent and potential, with around 90% of students receiving financial support.
The School's national Associate Programme provides high-quality ballet training for students aged 8 to 18 at centres across the UK and plays a vital role in widening access to classical ballet.
In 2026, The Royal Ballet School celebrates 100 years of excellence, with a future focused on expanding opportunity, access, and artistic leadership.
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Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Bridget Clark
pressmedia@royalballetschool.org.uk
