FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW MUCH IS THE DEPOSIT AND WHEN WILL IT BE REFUNDED
In order to secure the place offered, upon submission of the completed signed Registration Form a Deposit of £3,500.00 must be paid.
The Deposit will be refunded without interest upon completion of the relevant course. Normally 3 years for the Professional Dancers course, 2 years for the Foundation course and 2 years for the Post Graduate course.
WHAT ARE THE FEES
Fees for years 10 and 11 are £10,000.00 per annum to be paid yearly in advance . Fees for years 12 and above are £11,500.00 per annum to be paid yearly in advance .
PLEASE NOTE THAT KINGS HAS A STRICT NO REFUNDS POLICY. IF A STUDENT IS WITHDRAWN EARLY FROM THE COURSE, BOTH THE DEPOSIT AND ANY FEES PAID IN ADVANCE WILL BE FORFEIT.
IS THERE ANY FUNDING AVAILABLE
A student loan is still a loan. We firmly believe that a young person’s future career is a necessary and worthwhile investment. The course we offer at Kings is both exceptional and unique in that it prepares young dancers to be able to sustain a long and successful career. It is worth bending over backwards to help get your child to us.
In a few short years, Kings has become renowned and is recognised for its high standard of teaching, the quality of the course offered and our commitment to keeping our small class sizes. Students of Kings have thrived in this environment and we are proud of that fact. In order to maintain this, Kings has chosen to remain a privately owned business. We have purposefully chosen not to adhere to the government guidelines when it comes to Dance training at such an elite level, so we do not receive government funding. Students of Kings are not eligible for student loans and Kings does not have the funds to supplement the student. Likewise, we cannot expect other paying parents to fund other students. In short, Kings cannot offer scholarships. However, there are numerous other funding options listed on our “Funding Options” which is included in our acceptance pack. It is also worth contacting local MP’s churches, Libraries and big businesses.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEES
Private Healthcare (please see below), Accommodation (please see below), Uniform, dance shoes, travel, RAD classes and exams, ARBTA exams ( unless enrolled on the Post Graduate Course) , Competition fees (including costume) both National and International, Show reel fees and photographs for auditions, Strengthening and conditioning programmes and Pilates.
When being invited to perform in Galas or productions in the UK (Bristol Russian Ballet, ARBTA) a contribution towards travel expenses and costume hire will be requested.
The Jeune Ballet Company Fees are included in the Post graduate Course Fees only. Any students enrolled on the Professional Dancers Course who are selected to participate in the Jeune Ballet Company will need to pay an additional £2000 per annum.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU OFFER
Kings International Ballet's Professional Dancers Course offers a Professional Dancers Diploma , a GQUAL Art Of Teaching Certificate and an Anatomy Certificate ( IDTA) to all its students . In addition, there is an option to take RAD classes and examinations and a further Associate Teaching Diploma (ARBTA).
Kings International Ballet's Post Graduate Course offers a Professional Dancers Diploma, a GQUAL Art of Teaching Certificate, Associate Teaching Certificates in Jazz, Contemporary and Character and ARBTA Teaching Diplomas in Classical Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Character Dance. In addition, there is an option to take RAD classes and examinations and an Anatomy Certificate ( IDTA)
Kings International Ballet's the Art Of Teaching Course offers a GQUAL Art of Teaching Certificate, Associate Teaching Certificates in Jazz, Contemporary and Character and ARBTA Teaching Diplomas in Classical Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Character Dance. In addition, there is an option to take RAD classes and examinations and an Anatomy Certificate ( IDTA)
Kings does not offer any Academic qualifications. All parents/guardians of students under the age of 18 are to be registered as “Homeschooled”
WHAT DO WE DO FOR ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
You are free to find your own establishment, however the system that has been tried and tested by our students is theonline learning system, oxbridgehomelearning.uk. Our contacts are
Robert Neal email: robert.neal@oxbridge.email Tel: 0121 815 6198
and
Mark O Sullivan email: mark.osullivan@oxbridge.email Tel: 0121 815 6198
who will be able to give you all the information and pricings etc.
We recommend that the subjects are split over 2 years, ie 1 A level in yr 12 (Level 1) and a further A level in yr 13 (Level 2) and that GCSE’s are split similarly over 2 years. ( see qualifications page for more details )
WHAT DOES THE TIMETABLE LOOK LIKE
We work from 10am to 4pm with wrap around classes for private coaching and practical teacher training before and after these hours. We cover all forms of Classical Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Choreography within the timetable and throughout the year invite international and national guest choreographers, teachers, directors and Ballet Masters to work with and form professional relationships with our dancers. All students are expected to take part in all the classes as timetabled however for the yr 10’s & 11’s there are free periods which can be used for study times to allow time for their Academic studies
DO WE WORK ON SATURDAYS
We work most Saturdays in the term. Students take part in what we call “Company Class” all levels all together. We encourage students to stay on and use the gym and the studios for personal study. This class is optional for our yr 10/11 students.
Students selected to work as trainee apprentice dancers with the Jeune Ballet Company will participate in reherasals on a Saturday during Term Time .
DO YOU ALLOW STUDENTS TO TAKE PART IN COMPETITIONS
We actively encourage performance opportunities including competitions for our students, both National and International. Dependant on their class work, students will be invited to have a private coaching slot with a view to being entered for a competition. We also have a tie up with Cork City Ballet, Merghilayev Ballet, Ballet de L’Opera de Nice who offer our students valuable paid performing and touring experience. The Jeune Ballet Company offers our students aged 16 plus the opportunity to work as part of a touring Company.
IS THERE A UNIFORM LIST
We have 2 suppliers one is the Dancer’s Room in Lichfield where most of the studio dancewear can be purchased. The other, is a local company that provides our tracksuits T. shirts and bags. Once the place has been accepted and the deposit received we send an information pack out to you with details and forms of whom to contact and how to order items
WHAT ABOUT POINTE SHOES
We are extremely fortunate that Becky Edwards of The Dancers Room in Lichfield is our supplier. She has an ample stock of various makes of shoe, is enormously experienced and regularly gives of her time to come in to the Academy to fit our students.
WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is independent of Kings so it is up to the student and their families to organise where they will be living during term time. We do however, recommend the following: For our yr 10/11 students, we have an association with a local dance teacher, Kaye Shufflebotham and a former nurse Marta Martinez. Both are skilled and experienced “House Mothers” who reside with and oversee the welfare of our students. Places are available on a first come first basis although it will not be known how many places will become available until the last term of the academic year. Both are located in Hinckley, there is a regular bus service, that stops within a very short walking distance from the accommodation and Kings studios respectively.
For our students aged 16 and over, we encourage slightly more independent living. We have access to 2 boarding houses, owned and managed by Ashbeck properties. These houses are solely for the use of King’s students. Each student has her own bedsit/room and they share a kitchen and living space. Bills are included. Another popular option is that students share flats/apartments local to the studios. We actively encourage our oldest students in the graduating year to be living more independently.
See Accomodation page for more details .
WHAT ABOUT INJURIES
We have a wonderful team providing Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Although injury is part of a dancer’s life, every effort is made to avoid it. We ask that all dancers, in advance of coming to Kings, go to Darryl Canham of the Kaizen Centre in Birmingham for a fully comprehensive body screening and a personalised strength and conditioning programme. This is to be updated regularly whilst on the course and arrangements are made for our students to regular visit his premises and make use of his facilities. We also have a tie up with Rachel Parker who provides Pilates. Again, we arrange for our dancers to visit her premises regularly for Pilates sessions. Lastly, we are very fortunate to have an association with Nick Allen, the physiotherapist for Birmingham Royal Ballet Dancers. He is a very experienced dance physiotherapist and he like all members of the team go over and above to take care of our dancers.
DO WE NEED PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE
YES! We highly recommend that each student/dancer has health insurance. A dancer at some point is going to become injured. We have found that AVIVA offers reasonable family rates but this is entirely up to the student and their respective families.
DO THE STUDENTS HAVE A LOCAL GP SURGERY
There is a local surgery in Barwell. We recommend that each student attending Kings signs up with the local GP. Forms will be provided by us during the induction week at Kings.
WHAT IF MY CHILD WISHES TO WITHDRAW FROM THE COURSE
Firstly, we do understand that things for many reasons can and do change. We would recommend that you look into the possibility of a personal insurance, so that you may recuperate some, if not all, of any money lost. As in the Terms and Conditions, if your child no longer wishes to be at Kings for the following Academic year, then at least a full term’s notice must be given in writing. Ie end of the spring term. There are no refunds and the remainder of the year ‘s fees are due and payable. If notice is given after the end of the spring term, then the full amount of the following year’s fees are also due and payable. Deposits will not be refunded if a student leaves before the end of the course.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO BE AWARE OF
YES!!
KINGS INTERNATIONAL BALLET ACADEMY IS FOR SERIOUS DANCERS, WHO ARE IN NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS THE CAREER FOR THEM. WE ARE A DAYTIME INTENSIVE TRAINING AND COACHING FACILITY OFFERING AN ELITE STANDARD OF TRAINING FOR THE TRULY DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE DANCER. THIS IS A WONDERFUL CAREER, BUT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED; NEITHER IS THE COURSE AT KINGS INTERNATIONAL BALLET ACADEMY. WE TRAIN OUR DANCERS TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE DEMANDS OF REAL LIFE IN A PROFESSIONAL COMPANY. AS SUCH, IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD ARE IN ANY DOUBT AS TO WHETHER THIS IS THE CORRECT PATH, THEN THIS COURSE IS NOT FOR YOU.
THAT SAID, IF THIS IS THE PATH, IF THE LOVE OF DANCE AND THE LIFE OF A DANCER IS THE ONLY OPTION, THEN KINGS INTERNATIONAL BALLET ACADEMY IS ABSOLUTELY THE PLACE TO BE.