The Royal Ballet School has established three professional routes for Diploma of Dance Teaching graduates, creating accelerated access to the institution’s Affiliate Programme alongside accredited status with The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and Royal Academy of Dance.
Graduates completing the two-year Diploma course from 2014 onwards will gain direct pathways to professional recognition, eliminating traditional barriers between institutional training and industry certification. Applications for the next Diploma cohort open early 2026.
Karen Berry, Head of Teacher Training, emphasised expanded opportunities available to qualified educators seeking multiple professional credentials within classical ballet instruction.
Direct Routes to Professional Recognition
Berry highlighted institutional commitment to supporting graduate teachers:
“We’re thrilled that our Diploma of Dance Teaching (DDT) now offers even more to our graduate teachers. Graduates can now apply for Affiliate Teacher status with The Royal Ballet School, permitting them to gain access to support in student training and student assessment materials.”
The Affiliate Programme pathway provides condensed coursework combining online instruction, onsite training, and self-study components. This route maintains connection between independent teachers and institutional methodology while supporting careers across various teaching contexts.
Affiliate status offers ongoing access to student training support and assessment materials, enabling teachers to deliver The Royal Ballet School’s methodology within their own studios while maintaining quality standards and pedagogical consistency.
ISTD Partnership and Global Access
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Full Teaching membership grants graduates access to syllabi across 13 dance genres, exclusive professional development training, teaching resources, and international educator networks spanning multiple countries and institutional frameworks.
Gemma Matthews, Director of Membership and Communications at ISTD, welcomed the collaboration:
“We’re delighted to welcome alumni of The Royal Ballet School’s Diploma of Dance Teaching into the ISTD community, offering them a seamless route to access our world-class resources and support.”
ISTD membership provides professional recognition across international markets while offering legal protections, marketing support, and continuing education opportunities unavailable to independent instructors. Members benefit from established credibility and networking possibilities within global dance education sectors.
Professional membership includes registered member logo usage and career development support through progressive training opportunities, industry events, and peer collaboration initiatives designed to enhance teaching effectiveness and business sustainability.
RAD Integration and International Networks
Royal Academy of Dance Registered Teacher Status enables graduates to access the global RAD Register of Teachers, enter students for RAD examinations, participate in tailored professional development programmes, and join established international teaching communities.
Penny Cotton, Director of Membership at Royal Academy of Dance, confirmed institutional recognition:
“We are delighted to accept The Royal Ballet School’s Diploma of Dance Teaching as a route to Registered Teacher Status and look forward to welcoming its graduates to our prestigious and highly regarded network of dance teachers.”
RAD membership offers examination entry capabilities, professional development access, and global community participation through an organization operating across 85 countries with over 14,000 members worldwide. This network provides career mobility and professional support across different educational systems and cultural contexts.
Cotton emphasized broader impact:
“Our dance teachers are transforming lives throughout the world and inspiring others with their love for the artform and excellence in dance teaching.”
Enhanced Career Development Opportunities
Multiple pathway access enables graduates to pursue simultaneous recognition across different professional frameworks, addressing diverse career objectives and market demands. Traditional certification routes often required separate training programmes for different credentials, creating temporal and financial obstacles.
Professional partnerships acknowledge Royal Ballet School training quality while addressing expanding market requirements for qualified classical ballet instruction. Dance education growth through private studios, community initiatives, and digital platforms demands properly credentialed instructors maintaining both technical and pedagogical standards.
Berry emphasized institutional philosophy:
“These new partnerships reflect our belief that outstanding teaching belongs in every studio and we’re proud to support our graduates in shaping the future of dance wherever they teach and whoever they inspire.”
Graduate career enhancement occurs through recognized credentials, expanded networking opportunities, continuing education access, and professional support systems previously unavailable through single-institution training alone.
Alumni Faculty Integration
Royal Ballet School welcomed Kevin Emerton, a school alumnus and former Royal Ballet dancer who completed the Diploma of Dance Teaching programme, to the Upper School Artistic team in January 2025. Emerton now teaches Pre-professional Year students, demonstrating institutional commitment to developing qualified educators from within its alumni network.
His appointment illustrates the progression pathway from professional performance through formal pedagogical training to institutional faculty position. This approach ensures faculty members combine performance experience with structured educational preparation.
Emerton’s integration represents systematic institutional investment in developing former dancers as qualified educators rather than relying solely on performance credentials for teaching appointments.
Institutional Recognition and Industry Impact
Partnerships with ISTD and RAD demonstrate external recognition of The Royal Ballet School’s teacher training quality while expanding graduate opportunities across established professional networks. Both organizations maintain rigorous membership standards, making their acceptance of DDT qualifications significant for institutional credibility.
Professional recognition extends institutional influence beyond direct programming to encompass broader dance education quality improvement across private studios, community centres, and educational institutions worldwide.
Partnerships acknowledge graduate contributions and “the vital role they play in the private dance teaching sector” while supporting career advancement through established industry structures.
Systematic approach to teacher development reflects understanding that educator quality significantly determines student outcomes. Investment in graduate career enhancement through multiple professional pathways strengthens institutional reputation while expanding access to quality classical ballet education across different populations and geographical areas.
The initiative positions The Royal Ballet School as central to dance education development rather than merely elite performer preparation, acknowledging broader responsibilities for maintaining and expanding classical ballet instruction quality throughout the United Kingdom and internationally.
