Career-ready: how Central School of Ballet delivers a pipeline of UK and global industry excellence

Central delivers a distinctive blend of elite training, industry relevance, and a focus on performance. Unlike traditional ballet schools, Central prioritises both classical excellence and contemporary adaptability, ensuring graduates are versatile and ready for the professional demands of today’s dance industry.  

Inclusion is at the heart of Central’s ethos, where a variety of inventive pre and higher education programmes and funding streams ensure that talented students gain the access and support essential to building their careers from day one.

‘‘A graduate of Central School of Ballet leaves ready to step onto the stage – to thrill audiences across the UK and beyond, with the skills and resilience needed to survive and thrive in the challenging and exciting world of dance today."  

A history of innovation 

Christopher Gable and Ann Stannard pioneered an independent new approach when they founded Central School of Ballet in 1982. Recognising the potential limitations of traditional conservatoire ballet schools, they created a training model rooted in the values of artistic expression and the importance of technique, stepping away from training which focussed on the style and needs of one company.

Acknowledging that the success of this vocational training rested in students’ ability to dance on stage and transition into careers as performers, Ballet Central was founded in 1984, to offer third year students direct experience of working in a dance company, touring to professional theatres across the UK.    

Central provides vocational degree courses in dance at undergraduate and postgraduate level to a cohort of approximately 125 students from across the world, based in the new Countess of Wessex Studios on the South Bank in the London borough of Southwark. Many students join Central School of Ballet when they are 16 years old, starting a two year Foundation Degree followed by a one year BA (Hons) Top Up in Professional Dance and Performance. 

Growth, opportunity and access to excellence from day one 

Growth and opportunity are a key focus of the current government. Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for DCMS, has spoken about the importance of access to excellence in the creative arts. These are the principles that guide the work of Central School of Ballet.

The intense and wide-ranging curriculum for undergraduates costs the school more than double the fees paid by its UK students. Central has a well-developed and long-established donor and supporter programme, which includes grants from – and inspiring partnerships with – individuals, trusts, foundations, livery companies and organisations. In 2024 fundraising accounted for 12% of Central’s income, enabling it to offer bursaries and scholarships, and also deeply develop its engagement with the school’s home borough in London.

Central’s engagement with Southwark now includes in-person and digital opportunities for teachers and pupils from Southwark schools to engage in dance, as well as attend performances. The seeds of opportunity need to be nurtured at grassroots level, and for aspiring young dancers, often eight years before they’re able to engage in vocational training. Offsite, Central works with a range of partners from the London Borough of Southwark to specific community-based dance organisations, creating opportunities to engage with the joy of dance, and to support young people with a specific interest in careers in the industry. 

As part of Central’s approach to widening participation and anti-racism, Central has established collaborative partnerships with AkomaAsa Arts Academy, Theatre Peckham, and Artistry Youth Dance, exchanging knowledge and expertise, and building choices and pathways for young people into Central or into other higher education performing arts provision. Central’s skills and facilities are also shared with a much wider range of individuals and communities. 

Central runs a thriving Junior School offering after-school classes in ballet, Associate and Junior Associate Programmes for young people aiming for professional dance training, and classes and courses in the holidays. There are also a range of adult dance classes in the evenings and on Sundays. In 2023-24, there were around 20,000 adult class drop-ins. 

Championing dance, championing the creative industries     

The alumni from the Central School of Ballet can be found dancing in or leading the major dance companies of the UK: Rishan Benjamin (First Artist Scottish Ballet), Max Maslen (Principal Birmingham Royal Ballet), Christopher Marney, (Director London City Ballet). Many graduates develop independent careers working in the UK and abroad, sharing their artistry as performers whilst demonstrating their resilience as creative thinkers, practitioners and collaborators who will help shape the future of dance and the creative industries.   

As a member of GuildHE, Central School of Ballet continues to champion the importance of what smaller and specialist providers do for young people, for higher education, and the creative industries. In these challenging times, art and culture can make a difference. Central creates artists who make that difference and are worthy of support. Today more than ever, there is a need to support young dancers with talent to nurture their passion, technique, and artistry, as well as their ability to engage with others and show resilience. Central graduates step out into the world ready to work, ready to dance, ready to perform.