As part of its global outreach and professional development efforts, the Royal Ballet School offers a series of Enlighten webinars tailored for dance educators worldwide. These hour-long online sessions provide high-quality pedagogical guidance that complements the institution’s established teacher training programmes. Available throughout the 2024–2025 academic year, the webinars aim to enrich the continuous learning journey of ballet instructors, regardless of location.
Each Enlighten webinar focuses on a specific area of interest, presenting both theoretical knowledge and practical strategies. “The Healthy Dancer 2: Understanding Flexibility” is one of the featured sessions. It explores methods for safely increasing students’ range of motion, with particular attention to the physiological and developmental factors that influence flexibility in young dancers. Led by Emma Porter, the School’s Training and Access Healthcare Lead, this session provides evidence-based practices designed to support healthy progression.
Another offering, “Postural Alignment With the Franklin Method® 2,” takes participants through a kinaesthetic approach to improving movement efficiency and alignment. Delivered by Sarah Daultry, the Teacher Training Manager, the session integrates anatomy, imagery, and motion to help instructors support students’ physical stability and coordination. The Franklin Method® is known for its emphasis on mind-body awareness, making it a valuable addition to a dancer’s foundation.
To support the business side of dance instruction, the Royal Ballet School also presents “Maximising Your Dance School’s Potential.” This session, led by Senior Teacher Training Manager Karen Berry, focuses on the challenges of managing a dance school. It offers strategic advice on balancing artistic objectives with operational viability, making it particularly relevant to instructors managing independent studios.
Another significant topic is addressed in “The Healthy Dancer 3: Understanding RED-S in Dance,” which delves into Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). This condition, which can affect dancers who do not maintain adequate nutritional intake for their activity level, is explored in relation to prevention, identification, and management. The webinar offers teachers crucial knowledge to support student well-being.
While Enlighten webinars can be taken independently, they are also structured to complement the Royal Ballet School’s Inspire seminars. Both formats contribute to the School’s broader mission of sharing its educational philosophy with a global network of dance teachers. Participants leave each session with tools to implement immediately and a deeper understanding of the pedagogical principles upheld by the School.
These webinars not only elevate the practice of dance instruction but also build a sense of international community among ballet educators. By connecting participants to the Royal Ballet School’s expertise and standards, the sessions reaffirm the institution’s role as a leader in global ballet education.