Hello from White Lodge, Richmond Park, London

[All4ballet]

I work at The Royal Ballet Lower School in Richmond Park, London and, through the years of my daughter's training as a dancer, I have become interested in ballet and it's history. At 16, our daughter is very happy to have gained a place at The Royal Ballet Upper School - attached to the Opera House in Covent Garden. She writes a blog about the life of a vocational student of dance.

[Helene]

Welcome to Ballet Alert! All4ballet. We hope you will participate in the discussion from the point of view of audience.

Our sister site, Ballet Talk for Dancers is a site for dance students, their parents, teachers, and experts who help dancers in training of all ages.

[KarenAG]

I work at The Royal Ballet Lower School in Richmond Park, London and, through the years of my daughter's training as a dancer, I have become interested in ballet and it's history. At 16, our daughter is very happy to have gained a place at The Royal Ballet Upper School - attached to the Opera House in Covent Garden. She writes a blog about the life of a vocational student of dance.

Greetings, All4ballet, and how wonderful for your daughter! I'm sure she works very hard. So is White Lodge the Lower or the Upper School? I should know this but I do forget.... the first time I'd ever heard of White Lodge was several years ago when I became interested in Darcy Bussell's dancing, and I remember reading about her joining White Lodge fairly late in life (or some variation on that theme).

Please enjoy the forum - we have many lively discussions and just about everyone here is mad about ballet with personal favorite companies and dancers.

~ Karen

[All4ballet]

Thank you for the welcome Karen. The Royal Ballet Lower School at White Lodge in Richmond Park, London - for students aged 11 to 16. The Upper School, attached to the Royal Opera House in Central London, is for the final 3 years of training. Students are aged from 16-19. I believe that Darcey Bussell started at White Lodge when she was 13 years old - so perhaps she began in the 3rd of the five years training that is available there.