Elmhurst Ballet School open its doors for its annual Open Day

Tuesday October 22^nd 2024

The open day provides an opportunity for prospective students and their families to learn about the school, explore the surroundings, meet staff and students, and find out what it is like to live, dance and learn at Elmhurst Ballet School.

On Thursday 7 November, Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham will throw open its doors to welcome prospective future dancers to its annual open day. This is a chance for them, and their parents and guardians, to see Elmhurst on a typical day.

The day will involve tours of the building, as well as a presentation in the school theatre by members of the Senior Leadership Team and student leaders, with the opportunity to ask questions. Classroom doors will be open throughout the day, meaning that guests can look into lessons and ask staff questions as they go. The aim of the day is to show what makes Elmhurst so unique, while showing guests how the school operates across academic and dance lessons on a typical day.

Speaking about the open day, Jessica Ward, Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School said: “Our annual open day is one of the highlights of the school year at Elmhurst. The day is designed to provide guests with the perfect opportunity to experience our school and soak up the atmosphere of our building, which is not only a leading ballet school but also a fantastic learning facility for our academic lessons, where our young dancers study everything from Maths and RE to one of three modern foreign languages. I strongly encourage anyone who may be interested in coming to Elmhurst to come along and explore our surroundings, meet our friendly staff and students, and experience what it's like to live, dance and learn in the vibrant community of Elmhurst Ballet School.”

Founded in Camberley, Surrey in 1923, Elmhurst was one of the UK’s first vocational dance schools. In 2004, the school moved to its purpose-built new home in Edgbaston, Birmingham forming a close association with Birmingham Royal Ballet. Elmhurst has a history of notable alumni and continues to be a world-renowned centre of excellence, providing full-time vocational training in classical ballet in conjunction with a sound academic education across the whole school.

Students at Elmhurst Ballet School are from 11-19 years’ old. Entry to the school is by audition with students joining from Year 7 onwards and graduating after Year 14. In a typical year, 80% of students receive financial assistance to train at Elmhurst. Around 20% of Elmhurst students are from the Midlands, with a further 65% coming from across the UK, and 15% from overseas.

Choosing and attending the right school is an important step in a young dancer’s life. Many Elmhurst Ballet School students live on site and attending Elmhurst means leaving home at a very young age. For many families, sending a child to Elmhurst will mark the first time a family member has attended a vocational and boarding school, so the open day is an opportunity to answer any questions and concerns that prospective students and their families may have, and put their minds at rest that Elmhurst is the right choice for them.

Jessica Ward added, “We want to support prospective students in making an informed decision about where they want to study. At our open day, young dancers and their families will be able to take a tour of our beautiful site, including our state-of-the-art theatre, dance studios and home-from-home accommodation; chat with our staff and teachers, who can give valuable insights into our training and answer any questions; meet current students and learn more about their time at Elmhurst; find out more about our tuition fees and the financial support available towards studying at Elmhurst; learn more about how our sector-leading Health and Wellbeing services can support students who are studying with us; and get a better understanding of our audition and application process, so prospective students can be fully prepared and confident in their application.

If families are travelling to our open day from outside of Birmingham, I’d also encourage them to take some time to explore our vibrant city, which offers a unique blend of history, culture, and entertainment, and boasts Europe’s youngest population.”

Elmhurst Ballet School’s open day takes place on Thursday 7 November. It is free to attend, but places must be booked in advance via: https://www.elmhurstballetschool.org/en/whats-on/events/