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Silver Swans Summer School 

Monday 14 July 2025 – Saturday 19 July 2025

Various, GMT

Events → Short course → Silver Swans Summer School

Booking Deadline:

Monday 16 June 2025

Event Date:

Monday 14 July 2025 – Saturday 19 July 2025

Event Time:

Various, GMT

Location:

Available Online?

No

Who’s it for?

Recommended for age 55+

Fee:

Members £300
Non-members £330

Contact:

participate@rad.org.uk

Join the waiting list →

The Silver Swans Summer School offers you the chance to immersive yourself in a week filled with dance.

You will experience ballet technique, classical repertoire, contemporary and Move to the Musicals classes throughout the course, which will focus on enhancing your musicality and artistry. The week will culminate in an filmed performance in the Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre capturing repertoire and Move to the Musicals work. This will then be available for you to view following the course. 

Highlights of the programme include:

  • A trip to see a west end performance on the Saturday afternoon
  • Experience a variety of styles, with a strong focus on ballet technique, building into classical repertoire
  • The chance to be taught by professional teachers with years of experience within the industry

“Taking part in the summer school is one of the best things I have done. For confidence, wellbeing, health and fitness and of course improving my dance techniques and knowledge… For a few moments I felt like a ballerina. Excellent value for money and time. An incredibly happy and inclusive week.“

Participant of the Silver Swans Summer School 2024

Class information

There are two different classes to choose from:

Class 1: Suitable for all levels – SOLD OUT
Class 2: Suitable for all levels – SOLD OUT

Monday – Friday
All dancers will receive classes throughout the week in ballet technique, classical repertoire, contemporary and Move to the Musicals. Each day dancers will participate in a 45 minute ballet technique class and a 1 hour repertoire class. Move to the Musicals classes will take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and are 1.5 hours in duration. Contemporary classes will take place on Tuesday and Thursday and are 1.5 hours in duration.

Saturday
On Saturday, dancers will receive a 45 minute ballet technique class before rehearsing their performance pieces from their repertoire and Move to the Musicals classes. Following this, the performances will be recorded, and then shared with dancers following the classes for a limited period of time.

Please note, this course has now sold out. If you would like to be informed should a space become available, you can join the waiting list by following the link.

We do have limited availability in our other Silver Swans Weekly courses. Click the events below for more details:

Silver Swans Easter Course
Silver Swans: Focus on Classical

Venue

Royal Academy of Dance
188 York Road
London
SW11 3JZ

Times

Class 1
Monday – Friday: 11.30am – 4pm
Saturday: 10am – 12.30pm

Class 2
Monday – Friday: 11am – 3.30pm
Saturday: 10am – 12.30pm

  • There will be a one hour lunch break scheduled each day
  • The full timetable will be shared following the closing date
  • The above times do not take into account the theatre trip organised for the Saturday afternoon

Theatre trip

As part of the Silver Swans Summer School, you will attend a matinee performance on Saturday 19 July. See full details below. Please note, dancer’s will be required to make their own way from RAD to the theatre in order to attend the performance.

Moulin Rouge

Saturday 19 July, 2.30pm
Piccadilly Theatre, 16 Denman Street, London, W1D 7DY

Enter a world of splendour and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular spectacular…

Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. A theatrical celebration of truth, beauty, freedom and — above all — love, Moulin Rouge! is more than a musical; it is a state of mind.

Faculty

Sarah Platt (Ballet & Repertoire – Steady & Dynamic classes)

Sarah trained with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) from childhood grades, through the Teacher Training College, a distance-learning degree course and into postgraduate education. Research in ‘Inclusive Dance Practice’ at the Postgraduate level instigated an interest in more diverse teaching.

Sarah Platt

Sarah was part of the RAD Dance for Lifelong Wellbeing (DfLW) project in 2012, undertaking practice-based research into the benefits and considerations when teaching older learners to dance. Having contributed to the RAD
Report (2013) and presented at the DfLW conference (2013), she participated in the second phase of the DfLW project (2017) and acted as mentor to other researching teachers. From these beginnings came the creation of the RAD Silver Swans Ballet programme, formally launched in 2017, the benefits of which Sarah is passionate about.

Sarah has had the opportunity to share the joy of Silver Swans in many contexts, particularly during the pandemic when there was a surge of interest in ways to keep fit and healthy whilst isolating or in lockdown. Sharing enthusiasm through various media and presenting in a range of situations contributed to her earning the RAD Advocacy Award in her latest project has been developing the Seated Swans programme so that even more people can share the joy of dance. Sarah currently enjoys teaching Silver Swans in a wide range of contexts, from church halls, through Zoom (still!), at RAD headquarters and she has the great honour of teaching our prestigious Swan, Queen Camilla, whenever Her Majesty’s diary permits.

Karen Cadogan (Ballet & Repertoire – Gentle classes)

Karen trained at the London College of Dance, graduating with a 1st class teaching diploma. She toured with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, in London, on TV, UK & internationally. Karen danced with BOP jazz theatre company, performed in several West End productions of The King & I and was the assistant choreographer to Susan Kikuchi at The Royal Albert Hall, among other engagements.

Karen Cadogan

She has taught in traditional dance schools and vocational colleges, on summer schools and on choreography commissions. As Head of Dance in an Independent School for over 20 years, Karen devised and directed dance productions alongside teaching RAD Ballet, ISTD Modern, Jazz, and GCSE Dance, students successfully auditioned for vocational colleges.

Karen’s passion for movement, expression, and wellness found a natural expansion into the practice of yoga. Having experienced the sense of peace and the positive effects, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in Vinyasa Flow, at Ashiyana, Goa 2016.

Discounts

Dancers who are members of the RAD will receive a discounted price. Please enter your RAD ID when prompted to do so during the booking process to receive this discount.

Booking process

  • Places are limited in each class and secured on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Payment is required at the time of booking.
  • An automatic email will be sent via the booking platform CVENT to confirm your registration and payment were successful.
  • Please quote the CVENT order no/ticket reference when contacting the RAD with any queries related to your booking.
  • Please ensure you have read the Terms and Conditions, which includes the RAD’s cancellation policy.
  • When a class is fully-booked, a waiting list will be activated. The Learning and Participation Team will contact you via email should a suitable place become available.
  • After the closing date, you will receive an additional confirmation by email, detailing registration times, suggested dress, and all other relevant information for the course and venue.
  • For all queries, please email participate@rad.org.uk.

Please ensure you check the ticket details carefully. If the ticket you wish to book appears sold out, please apply online for the ‘Waiting List’ ticket. The will contact you should a suitable place become available.

Please ensure you have read our Seasonal Courses Terms & Conditions carefully before you apply. You will need to confirm your acceptance of these terms when you register your place.

The RAD uses Cvent for ticketing and registration for events (including workshops, masterclasses, CPD, and a range of free activities). We only store your personal information in order to facilitate your attendance and to request feedback. We will not use your information to contact you unless you have opted to receive marketing materials or have signed up for our e-newsletter. For further details on how your information is processed, please see the Student Activities Privacy Notice.

Please note, in the event of injury or medical emergency during the activity a qualified First Aider from Royal Academy of Dance will provide necessary treatment and assistance to the participant. Please see our Terms & Conditions for further information on this.

Useful information

Join the waiting list →

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