Structure
Children at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in fact follow two courses simultaneously: regular education and dance training. For this reason the Dutch National Ballet Academy works together with the Olympiaschool, the Gerrit van der Veen College and the Zuiderlicht college; three excellent education institutes in Amsterdam with which the Academy of Theatre and Dance shares many years of experience in training young dancers.
Together these four institutes ensure that pupils not only become proficient dancers, but also attain their vmbo, havo or vwo diploma. Many years of cooperation has resulted in dance and school rosters becoming well attuned so that available time is efficiently utilized without children becoming overburdened. The institutes are located near to each other. Many pupils are from out of town and spend the necessary time travelling to and from Amsterdam.
The course is built up as follows:
Group 7 and 8
The first two years of the course run parallel with groups 7 and 8 of primary education. The Olympiaschool is in charge of regular education while the Dutch National Ballet Academy is responsible for the dance component. Both dance and regular education are given at our splendid new building at the Nicolaas Tettenrode in Amsterdam. Ballet pupils are grouped together in separate school classes led by specialized teachers.
The children attend school from Monday to Friday. They start work at 8.30 in the morning and finish at 16.00 or 17.00 in the afternoon. The children have approximately twelve hours of dance lessons per week. Among other subjects, the curriculum consists of classical ballet, creative dance and world dance. During periods when rehearsals are held for a final performance or for Dutch National Ballet performances, the children are also busy during weekends or in the evening.
vmbo, havo and vwo 1 and 2
Children following the first two years of secondary education, will attend the Gerrit van der Veen College or the Zuiderlicht college, for regular education and take dance lessons at the Nicolaas Tettenrodestraat. They begin at 8.30 in the morning and return home at around 17.00. In the high school class of the Gerrit van der Veen college, children are divided into special groups with pupils of the Amsterdam Conservatorium (music) and the Dansacademie Lucia Marthes (show and musical dance study course).
Pupils have between fourteen and fifteen hours of dance lessons per week. Among other subjects, the curriculum consists of classical ballet, pointe shoe technique for girls and jump technique for boys, caractère dance (Russian folk dance technique), repertoire, stretching, world dance and modern. The children attend school from Monday through Friday, but during periods when rehearsals are held or Dutch National Ballet performances are scheduled,
they will sometimes need to be present in the weekends or during the evening.
vmbo, havo and vwo 3 up to and including final exams
During the third high school year pupils choose their exam subjects.
They begin their day at 8.30 at the Gerrit van der Veen College or the Zuiderlicht college and finish their dance lessons at around 18.30.
Pupils attend dance lessons at the NBA buidling at the Nicolaas Tettenrodestraat in Amsterdam. They receive between 15 and 17½ hours of dance lessons per week.
The dance curriculum consists of, among other subjects, classical ballet, pointe shoe technique for girls and jump technique for boys, modern dance, caractère dance, pas-de-deux, repertoire and Pilates. They do not participate in performances of the Dutch National Ballet. Commencing from the May holidays, they also rehearse on Saturdays in the build-up towards the final performance.