BA Modern Ballet
Delivered in partnership with Scottish Ballet, the programme will equip you with the technical and artistic skills required by today’s professional dance companies.
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Overview
Our BA Modern Ballet programme is designed to help you develop secure classical and contemporary dance techniques and prepare you for a professional career as a confident, versatile, and technically strong dancer. You will graduate with the skills required by professional companies and the ability to effectively communicate with artists, choreographers, and audiences.
The course is delivered in partnership with Scottish Ballet. This provides students with numerous opportunities to gain invaluable insight into professional life. You will work with the Scottish Ballet artistic team and dancers, and internationally acclaimed teachers and choreographers, including Artistic Director/CEO Christopher Hampson. In your final year, you will attend company class. Some students will have the opportunity to perform on main-stage company tours.
RCS is the only European conservatoire to offer all performance art specialisms. In this environment, you will be encouraged to work collaboratively with other students, expanding your artistic horizons. You might find yourself
- Performing on camera for film students
- Choreographing a piece with our composers
- On stage at one of Scotland’s major theatres
Taking part in performances within a variety of environments and contexts will further enhance the breadth of your vocational education and your employability.
The important details
UK Applicant Deadline:
29 January 2025
International (including EU) Applicant Deadline:
31 March 2025
Institution Code:
R58
Programme Code:
201F
Audition Fee:
£55
Application Fee:
£28.50
Why Study Modern Ballet at RCS?
A student-centred approach is foundational to the Modern Ballet course. We prioritise your well-being and foster a supportive environment.
Professional Partnerships
Our partnership with Scottish Ballet gives you invaluable professional opportunities to collaborate, improvise and develop choreographic skills.
Award-Winning Studios
You will dance in Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks — home to a suite of award-winning dance studios. Our studios are purpose-built for BA Modern Ballet students.
Prestigious Performance Opportunities
You will perform at country-wide events and participate in high-profile international competitions. Recently, our students have performed at Buckingham Palace and Gleneagles and competed at the Fonteyn International Ballet Competition, YAGP, Cecchetti Competition and the Prix de Lausanne.
Extraordinary Staff & Workshops
You will learn from highly experienced teachers and work with professional musicians. In addition to tuition, you will participate in regular guest workshops and masterclasses.
Employment
You will join a cohort of Modern Ballet BA graduates who have obtained contracts to perform with companies across the globe. Our course prepares you to join companies like Scottish Ballet, Northern Ballet, Ballet Cymru, National Ballet of Portugal and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures.
Well-Being
The physical and mental well-being of our dancers sits at the heart of training at RCS, starting from the audition process. Throughout your studies, the ballet team works with each of our dancers to prepare them to enter the professional world as individuals who are confident, versatile and technically strong artists.
Supportive Environment
We work in partnership with the Scottish Ballet’s Performance Medicine team to deliver specialist well-being services. You will be provided physical and mental health support as part of the course, including:
- Twice-weekly Clinics
- Physiotherapy
- Dietary and Nutritional Advice
- Health Education Programme
- Annual Physical Screenings that Inform Training and Benchmark Setting
- Access to One-to-One Focused Counselling Sessions
Body Positive
A body-positive approach is taken by all staff, with issues around weight and body image addressed confidentially and proactively, rather than being ignored or addressed publicly. You will be supported in addressing any issues swiftly. Access to non-dance subject classes like Gyrotonics, PIYO, pilates, yoga, and mindfulness will help you develop a healthy mind and body, and cope with the demands of the course.
Meet the Staff
Kerry Livingstone
Head of BA Modern Ballet, Head of Associate Programme, Scottish Ballet
Fabrice Maufrais
Lecturer, ex-Principal Dancer, Scottish Ballet and Nantes Opera Ballet (ballet, repertoire, male solos and pas de deux)
Diana Loosmore
Lecturer, Contemporary Ballet Technique, Repertoire, Pas de Deux, Viruosity, Solos
Kara McLaughlin
Lecturer, Classical Ballet Technique, Repertoire, Pointe work, Solos
Additional Staff
Teaching Staff
- Aya Kobayashi – Contemporary Technique
- Rowan MacGregor – Jazz
- Maria Jiminez – Ballet, Repertoire
- Matthew Broadbent – Ballet, Pas de Deux
- Bethany Kingsley-Garner – Ballet
- Lewis Normand – Choreography
- Ruth Mills – Contemporary
- Bethany Whiteside – Contextual Studies
Performance Medicine Team
- Martin Lanfear – physiotherapist
- Fraser Johnston – chiropractor and massage therapist
Scottish Ballet
- Christopher Hampson – Artistic Director/CEO
- Oliver Rydout – Rehearsal Director
- Nicolas Shoesmith – Choreographer in Residence
Accompanists
- Michael Barnett
- Signy Jakobsdottir – Percussionist
Professional Partners
The BA Modern Ballet team designed and delivered the programme in partnership with Scottish Ballet.
Work with the world-renowned company, as well as acclaimed guest teachers and choreographers, throughout your studies. Get a unique and invaluable insight into professional life whilst studying with us and enjoy exclusive access to Scottish Ballet rehearsals.
There is also the opportunity to join the company on tour. Recently, students have performed in Scottish Ballet productions of Starstruck, Cinders!, The Nutcracker, The Scandal at Mayerling, and The Stravinsky Season which saw them take to the stage at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden.
Graduate Destinations
Our graduating students have been contracted to a range of renowned companies including:
- Scottish Ballet
- Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures
- Northern Ballet
- National Ballet of Portugal
- Ballet Cymru
- Joffrey Ballet Apprenticeship
- Ballet Ireland
- Geneva Junior Ballet
- Plovdiv State Ballet
- Balletto di Roma
- Alberta Ballet
- Ballet Theatre UK
- Prague Chamber Ballet
- National Dance Company of Wales Apprenticeship
- Universal Ballet Korea
- FX Saldy Liberec
- Ballet Prelocaj
Hear from some of our graduates:
Alumni
Alumni of the Modern Ballet BA programme include:
Hannah Cubitt
Scottish Ballet
Keenan Fletcher
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures
Rose Goddard
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures
Alumni Case Studies
RCS Alumni have gone on to make a big impact across the world. Find out more about their career paths since graduation and how their course and life at RCS prepared them for life beyond their studies.
Programme Structure
Your first year of training will focus on developing a sound technical and artistic basis in both classical ballet and contemporary dance. This grounding will be enhanced by supporting subjects such as pas de deux, pointework, virtuosity, conditioning and contextual studies.
In repertoire classes, corps de ballet work and solos are introduced, and you will learn about creating new works in the ‘Introduction to Choreography’ module.
You will complete your 1st year with a performance in the annual show.
You will focus on building upon the skills learned in the first year with more challenging technical and artistic work.
In repertoire, you will gain skills as a solo performer (in ballet and contemporary), including learning works from the classics. Choreographic skills are developed through the opportunity to collaborate with other departments and a commissioned choreographer to create a new piece.
You will have increased performance opportunities, including the ‘Piano and Dance’ festival and a more significant part in the Annual Performances.
You may also participate in exchange projects and international competitions.
Your final year is a year of refinement of individual strengths, development of artistic and performance skills and preparation for auditions for professional employment.
All third-year students work alongside Scottish Ballet and other professional companies in company class. There are additional performance and touring opportunities with Scottish Ballet in mainstage tours. In recent years, these have included Cinders! (ch. Hampson), The Nutcracker (ch. Hampson), Emergence (ch. Pite), The Fairy’s Kiss (ch. MacMillan), Swan Lake (ch. Dawson) and Mayerling (ch. MacMillan).
The Solos Evening is a highlight for third years, and your training culminates in the Annual Graduation performances in your final term.
Class of 2024
How to Apply
Apply via UCAS Conservatoires
Applications are made through UCAS Conservatoires website. The UCAS Conservatoires application system is separate from the main UCAS undergraduate application system. You can read our guidance about using UCAS Conservatoires on our dedicated How to Apply page.
Applicants will also be required to create an Acceptd account when they apply, which will be used for scheduling auditions.
We do not offer deferred entry. If you wish to commence in 2026, you must apply next year.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland institution code is R58. You will also require the following programme code to apply: BA Modern Ballet: 201F – Dance
The closing date for on-time Modern Ballet applications is 29 January 2025 for UK applicants and 31 March 2025 for International applicants. If you submit your application after this date, we cannot guarantee that the audition panel will review your application. If you do want to submit a late application, you must contact admissions@rcs.ac.uk in the first instance to check we are accepting late applications
Application/Audition fees
There is a UCAS Conservatoires application fee of £28.50. In addition to the application fee, each conservatoire charges an audition/interview assessment administration fee. The interview assessment administration fee is £55 for this programme. Fees are not refundable. The fees are paid via the UCAS Conservatoires website and not directly to RCS.
We recognise that auditioning and interviewing for conservatoires, drama and ballet schools can be costly. The audition assessment administration fee charge allows us to offer a thorough and positive experience to all applicants and we encourage you to get in touch to ask the panel questions and find out more about the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to see if it is the best place for you.
We are committed to ensuring fair access to a conservatoire education for students who have the talent and potential to benefit from it, regardless of their background. In support of this, audition fee waivers are offered to applicants whose financial hardship may be a barrier to auditioning. Please note you can only apply for a fee waiver request once you have completed and submitted your UCAS application. Please see the audition fee waiver form for more information.
Audition Information
You can choose between in-person auditions in Glasgow or London or auditioning online. If you are auditioning in person, you will not need to submit a video. However, you must submit photos via Accept’d, regardless of your audition preference.
Details of the Photographs required are included below.
In-person – Preliminary Audition
You will be invited to a preliminary audition which will consist of a classical ballet class which will include barre work, centre and allegro. There will be a short pointe work section at the end of the class. The class will last approximately 90 minutes and will be taught by one of the RCS ballet staff and accompanied by a musician. We plan to host these auditions in both Glasgow and London and will add specific dates here when confirmed.
In Person – Prelim London
We will be holding Prelim auditions in London on the 31st of January 2025. To ensure you receive a London date, Please submit your UCAS Conservatoire application by mid-January.
Final Recall Audition
The final audition will consist of:
- a classical ballet class (including pointe work)
- a contemporary class
- a medical screening (carried out by a qualified physiotherapist)
- an interview with members of the Programme Team
You and your parent/guardian/carer will be also invited to an ‘Information Session’, buildings tour and accommodation tour during the recall auditions, where you will be given further details on the course and an opportunity to meet some members of the department.
Online Auditions
All material must be submitted via Accept’d. The audition videos and photographs do not need to be professionally filmed/taken – your phone or a similar device is suitable. The camera should be positioned so that the full range of movements is shown (ideally between the front and the side for barre work and at the front for centre work). Applicants should wear a plain leotard, ballet tights, and ballet shoes (no skirts or warm-up clothes, please).
Please contact the admissions team if you have any questions.
Please prepare the following
Barre Work
- Plies – on one side only
- Battements Tendus – shown on both sides
- Battements Fondus – shown on both sides
- Grands Battements – shown on both sides
Centre Practice and Allegro
- Adage – showing both sides
- Pirouette enchainement – can be taken from 5th, 4th and/or 2nd position, shown both en dehors and en dedans. Pirouettes should be performed on both the right and the left side.
- Petit Allegro/Warm-up jump – sautes, echappes sautes and changements
- Allegro enchainement
- One grand allegro enchainement
(no music required)
Applicants should take care to work within their own range of movement and not force or bounce in the following stretches:
- Spine roll down – facing the back with feet together and arms by sides, slowly roll down through the spine (keeping legs straight) and recover
- Achilles stretch – facing the side with feet together, bend knees with heels remaining on the floor and recover
- Hamstring stretch – facing the side, sitting on the floor with legs fully stretched forward in parallel, reaching up and then forward towards toes, keeping backs of knees on the floor
- Splits on the right leg – facing right corner
- Box splits – facing front
- Splits on left leg – facing left corner
In addition to the above, applicants who have studies pointework should show a short example, in the centre. Please include:
- Echappes and releves
- Simple pirouette enchainement – shown on both sides
In addition to the above, applicants who have studied virtuosity should show a short example. Please include:
- Tours en l’air – to both sides
Photograph Requirements
The photographs do not need to be professionally taken but should be against a plain background and of good quality. You should be photographed in a leotard and tights.
You will be required to create an Accept’d account and once you have done so you will be able to easily upload your photographs. Please arrange for these to be submitted at least 5 days before the audition date.
Demi-plie en face
Degage a la seconde
Developpe a la seconde en l’air
Arabesque en l’air, facing decote (side)
2nd position en pointe
References
It is your responsibility to ask two separate referees to write references and ensure that these are sent to RCS.
The references must be written by two different people and we will not accept references from family, other relatives or close friends. You can submit your UCAS Conservatoires application form and send your references at a later date, but they must be received prior to your audition date.
UCAS Conservatoires provides reference forms for you to download and send to your referees for completion.
Policy
We have a number of policies and pages which you should read when applying to study at the Royal Conservatoire:
Entry Requirements
Academic Requirements
- Five passes at a minimum of National 5 or equivalent such as Standard Grades (Grade 1—3) or Intermediate 1 or 2
- Passes in five GCSEs — Grades A*—C, or equivalent
- Knowledge of ballet vocabulary to a minimum of Intermediate level (or equivalent)
- Appropriate physical qualities for a career in professional classical dance
English Language Requirements
The language of study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) is English. All applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence that their English language level meets the entrance requirements.
The required IELTS level for this programme is 5.5 overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.
Direct Entry
Applications for direct entry beyond Year 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and per the Royal Conservatoire’s Recognition of Prior (Experiential) Learning policy. If you wish to apply for direct entry, please mark the point of entry on the UCAS Conservatoires application as 2 or 3.
Fees & Funding
Tuition fees
For academic year 2025/26:
- Scottish full-time: £1,820 (for most full-time, Scottish-domiciled undergraduate students, this will be paid by SAAS)
- RUK (including ROI*) full-time: £9,535
- International (including EU) full-time: £27,968
Please note these fees are subject to change.
Funding & Scholarships
You can find out about the funding and scholarships available for studying at RCS by visiting our dedicated page:
Cost of Living & Programme Costs
In addition to tuition fees, it is estimated that you will need between £11,200 and £15,300 per year to live in Glasgow, plus programme costs. Much will depend on your lifestyle and whether your course runs for three or four terms.
Undergraduate Programmes within the School of Drama, Dance, Production and Film have a range of associated costs related to the specific activities required and advised by the programme team. To ensure fairness and parity of experience concerning certain core programme activities, a one-off payment to cover a proportion of necessary costs is required of the student at matriculation. You can find these costs in the pdf below:
More from the Modern Ballet Department
Student Experience
Watch BA Modern Ballet Alumnus Daisy speak about her time on BA Modern Ballet programme.
Step Inside the Wonderful World of Dance
Read our blog about how the BA Modern Ballet degree at RCS has grown to become one of the UK’s most respected dance training programmes.
Dance Master: Paul Liburd
Read our Interview with world-respected dancer, choreographer, and teacher Paul Liburd about his week at RCS working with our students on their graduation performances.
Why RCS?
We are the only place in Europe where you can study all of the performing arts on the one campus. There is a distinctive creative energy at RCS and you’ll be made to feel part of our inclusive and diverse environment from the very beginning of your studies.
Our graduates are resourceful, highly employable and members of a dynamic community of artists who make a significant impact across the globe.
At RCS, students develop not just their art but their power to use it.
World Top Ten
We were voted one of the world’s Top Ten destinations to study the performing arts (QS Rankings) in 2025, the ninth time we have been placed in the top ten since the ranking was established in 2016.
Perform & Collaborate
Our curriculum is built around performance and collaboration and we hold professional partnerships with all of Scotland’s National Companies. Join forces across artforms and be part of the 500+ performances we give each year.
Outstanding Alumni
Our graduates are employed across the world and we take pride in the impact they have on their art forms. We’ll equip you with the skills to thrive as a professional and join their ranks.
Learn from the Best
More than 1,000 lecturers, tutors, artists, technicians, co-ordinators and support staff work at RCS across all our art forms. Study with some of the finest educators and performing and production artists in the UK.
A Campus Built for You
Our facilities are world-class. From rehearsal rooms and recording studios to our five professional performance venues, we have a campus to showcase and develop emerging artists to the highest standards.