Career Preparation & Opportunities

A mentoring program for Level 8 students further enhances the relationship between the School and The Australian Ballet – and provides firsthand knowledge of the dance profession with individual attention and encouragement.

Dancers from the senior ranks of The Australian Ballet undertake mentoring relationships with Graduate Year (Level 8) students. The relationship begins formally around the start of the School year and from there the mentoring relationship develops around individual needs. The mentoring program is a vital bridge from the School to life as a professional performer.

Performance Opportunities
As part of their education our students have opportunities to perform on stage and this activity increases as students reach the upper levels of the School.

The Australian Ballet School presents two major productions each year. Performances are offered in Melbourne and interstate, and usually takes place in September. Our end of year production happens at Arts Centre Melbourne in December.

Students also perform a morning programme at various venues across Melbourne in May; usually Arts Centre Melbourne, Clocktower in Moonee Ponds and Frankston Arts Centre. Our Level 8 and Post Graduate Year students may also have the opportunity to perform with The Dancers Company, on The Australian Ballet’s regional tour.
The Regional Tour
The Regional Tour is an integral part of The Australian Ballet that takes the highest quality productions to regional areas around Australia, for approximately six weeks per annum.
The Regional Tour comprises guest artists of The Australian Ballet and graduating Level 8 and Graduate Year students who meet the artistic and technical standards required by The Australian Ballet. This provides exceptional professional performing opportunities for talented dancers who are on the threshold of their careers.
The Regional Tour brings the highest quality dance productions to audiences and regions outside the major capital cities of Australia. Over the past 32 years, The Regional Tour has given 588 performances in 59 locations including; Geraldton, Cairns, Mount Isa, Whyalla, Broken Hill, Mildura, Hobart, Darwin and Alice Springs.
Extracurricular Opportunities
Select senior students are offered exciting opportunities to participate in a number of international ballet competitions including the Prix de Lausanne and the Beijing International Ballet Competition held biennially in Beijing.

The Australian Ballet School is recognised by the Prix de Lausanne as one of the international training institutions where finalists may take up their scholarship.

Each year we take part in the Robert and Elizabeth Albert Junior Classical Ballet Scholarship; an ongoing collaboration with the Sydney Eisteddfod. As part of this prestigious section, each year The Australian Ballet School, at its discretion, may offer scholarships to promising students, for entry into either the Full-Time or the Interstate Training Programme. Lisa talks here about her involvement with the Sydney Eisteddfod.

The Australian Ballet School offers exchange opportunities for selected students with Canada's National Ballet School.

Students are also able to participate in a number of other extracurricular events each year, such as the annual School House Day, fundraising and other special events.