OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
There is a huge range of outreach activities, workshops, partnerships, concerts and performances carried out by Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) schools, Centres for Advanced Training and by choir schools. The Department is continuing to encourage these by providing additional funding to develop and sustain such initiatives. The principal aims of outreach are to focus on the identification of talented children and help set them on suitable pathways of high quality vocational training, and to provide experiences and opportunities for those who would not otherwise have those things. Outreach and associated partnership activity also promotes specialist teachers’ continuing professional development and helps raise schools’ aspirations throughout the system.
Some examples of current outreach programmes - and of good practice – are outlined below.
“Search for Talent” programmes
Such programmes support the MDS objective that “the aim of the scheme is to help identify, and assist, children with exceptional potential”. The activities make opportunities available to those from all backgrounds and regions so that they can benefit from the training and aspirations of MDS schools.
The Royal Ballet School carries out an extensive outreach programme, a key objective in the school’s Development Plan. The programme is multi-faceted and includes “Teacher Link” events for teachers of dance and their students at centres throughout the UK. Events range from one-day "insight days" to 3-5 day courses and masterclasses for teachers and students who aspire to achieve high-level technical confidence in varying aspects of dance training. In addition, a “Search for Talent” audition tour is mounted at major UK cities alongside the junior, mid and senior associates integrated training programmes for many hundreds of aspiring young dancers. Summer schools are also held at the school itself (which also hosts the Young British Dancer of the Year competition).
Making dance accessible
The Royal Ballet School also works collaboratively with a number of maintained secondary schools, including specialist schools, and their associated primary schools. These collaborations have resulted in exciting two-way partnerships benefiting pupils and teachers in all the institutions involved. While the Royal Ballet School itself can provide first-rate training in classical ballet techniques, dancers in state schools can often provide inspirational drama and alternative perspectives in community and contemporary dance. As a result of these activities, some real-life “Billy Elliots” have been admitted to the Royal Ballet School in recent years.
The Department provides funding to support the Royal Ballet School’s primarySTEPS workshops and dance classes, the aDvANCE specialist schools programme, public open days and non-residential workshops and the like at the Lower School in White Lodge, Richmond Park and the development of web-based resources for the dissemination of good practice and exemplification.
Further details about the Royal Ballet School’s outreach programme can be found at www.royal-ballet-school.org.uk/Outreach/outreach.htm. The school also works closely with the Royal Opera House – see http://info.royaloperahouse.org/Education/
Other MDS dance schools - The Arts Educational School, Tring, Elmhurst School for Dance, Birmingham and the Hammond School, Chester – all develop dance partnerships with local schools and other dance artists, and provide community based dance performance and training opportunities further afield.
Performances, music workshops and concerts
MDS schools mount numerous concerts and performances throughout the year (details can be found on their websites – see Participating Schools) and some, like Chetham’s School of Music have a full touring symphony orchestra – see www.chethams-symphony.com. Workshops of one kind or another, and masterclasses, are also regular features for all MDS schools. Wells Cathedral School’s Music College provides a good example of the opportunities on offer – see www.wells-cathedral-school.com/music/index.html. The school also provides “World Music” workshops for local schools free of charge on Gamelan, Steel Pans, African Drums and Indian/South Asian instruments. The Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey continues to provide in-service training for peripatetic string teachers and the Purcell School mounts a Summer Chamber Music course amongst many, many other activities.
Choir Schools
Choir Schools have always played a significant role in their local communities. Such schools and their foundations are now taking a key role in the National Singing Programme - Sing Up! - by providing enhanced outreach and partnership activities across the country. Please also visit www.choirschools.org.uk.
