Central School of Ballet is a world-class centre for professional dance training in London's South Bank, offering vocational degree courses, a Junior School, Associate Programmes, adult classes, and Ballet Intensives.
Central School of Ballet is a professional dance training centre located in the South Bank area of London. Founded in 1982 by Ann Stannard and Christopher Gable, it operates as an independent charity and registered higher education provider. The school offers vocational degree courses validated by the University of Kent, with undergraduate and postgraduate programmes designed for students pursuing careers in dance. Ballet Central, the school’s touring company, provides final-year students with professional performance experience.
The school also runs programmes for younger dancers. The Junior School serves children aged 3–16 using an in-house syllabus across 11 levels. Pre-vocational training is available through the Junior Associate Programme for ages 8–11 and the Associate Programme for ages 11–16, both requiring audition for entry. The Associate Programme includes pointe, repertoire, pas de deux, Contemporary, and Pilates. Additional offerings include one-day courses for ages 4–16, Ballet Intensives with audition preparation for ages 11–16, and adult classes for ages 18 and up.
The school is led by Executive Director Mark Osterfield and Artistic Director Kate Coyne. Classes take place at The Countess of Wessex Studios near Waterloo Station.
Central School of Ballet is a world-class centre for professional dance training based in the South Bank arts community in London’s Southwark. It is an independent training organisation and charity, founded in 1982 by Ann Stannard and Christopher Gable. The school offers vocational degree courses in dance at undergraduate and postgraduate level, all validated by the University of Kent. It joined the registered Office for Students English higher education providers in June 2022. The school aims to realise students’ potential for excellence as dancers and support an increasingly diverse, innovative, internationally recognised culture of dance in the UK.
The school is located at The Countess of Wessex Studios, 21–22 Hatfields, Paris Garden, London, SE1 8DJ, in the South Bank arts community. It is close to Waterloo Station, with Southwark station three minutes’ walk away. Waterloo is eight minutes’ walk from the school and London Bridge is about the same distance. The school can be reached by numerous bus routes near Waterloo and London Bridge.
The school offers professional training degree courses for those aiming for a career in dance, a Junior School with ballet classes for children after school in term time, an Associate Programme for young people aiming for professional dance training, adult dance classes in the evenings and on Sundays for general fitness and wellbeing, a regular programme of one-day dance courses for children and teenagers including short courses and dance days, and Ballet Intensives for dancers seeking more in-depth training and audition preparation. Ballet Central is the school’s touring company.
The school’s services are available to children from age 3 through the Junior School, young people ages 8–16 through the Junior Associate and Associate Programmes, teenagers ages 11–16 through Ballet Intensives, children and teenagers ages 4–16 through Short Courses, adults ages 18+ through Adult Dance Classes open to all genders subject to dance and skills ability, and students aged 16+ for undergraduate degree courses. The school encourages applications from underrepresented populations in dance, including Global Majority Heritage applicants, male-identifying or non-binary applicants, applicants from lower income households, and those in care, care leavers, or estranged applicants.
The school caters for ages 3–16 through the Junior School, ages 8–11 through the Junior Associate Programme, ages 11–16 through the Associate Programme and Ballet Intensives, ages 4–16 through Short Courses, ages 18+ through Adult Dance Classes, and ages 16+ for undergraduate degree courses. The Junior School uses an in-house syllabus across 11 levels in line with academic school years. The Associate Programmes are pre-vocational Saturday classes for students aiming for professional dance training, with entry by audition only.
Ballet Central is the school’s touring company and joining it forms a core part of the BA (Hons) Top-Up in Professional Dance and Performance. Ballet Central provides final-year students with professional touring experience and supports graduating students in securing employment. The school states it is the only professional dance training school in the UK providing touring experience on such a scale.
The Junior School uses an in-house syllabus across 11 levels in line with academic school years and develops flexibility, musicality, coordination, balance, and stamina. The Junior Associate Programme includes Ballet, Body Conditioning or Strength and Conditioning, and Creative Movement, aiming to prepare dancers for full-time vocational ballet training by developing technique, strength, and artistry. The Associate Programme includes pointe, repertoire, pas de deux, Contemporary, and Pilates. Ballet Intensives are taught by tutors from the school’s ballet teaching faculty. Undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses are validated by the University of Kent.
Ballet Central is the school’s touring company. Dance Days are designed to provide sample or taster classes and to inform participants about life as students on a professional training course.
Phone: 020 7837 6332. Email: info@csbschool.co.uk. For admissions: admissions@csbschool.co.uk. For Junior Associate Programme bursaries: jo.hurst@csbschool.co.uk.