Ballet Company (Years 12–13)

The St Andrew's College Ballet Company (Years 12–13) continues a dancer’s training and completes the five year Ballet Academy Diploma programme. It aims to extend a dancer’s abilities with high level ballet, choreographic experiences and dance repertoire in all key genres. For convenience, our extensive co-curricular programme is ‘wrapped’ around the school day, as much as is possible. Through this programme a dancer can gain their College Blazer Award and can also achieve the College’s highest award of Blazer ‘Colours’. We consider our Company dancers to be our ‘role models of excellence’ and encourage the younger dancers to aspire to be like them. Company dancers are also welcome to assist with the junior dancer training programme, which is valuable teaching experience that may also count towards their Duke of Edinburgh Awards for Community Service hours. For further information on our Ballet Academy Diploma, click here.

Performance Opportunities

These are arranged each year and have included 'Dancing Like the Stars', Dance Revue, Prizegiving, plus other events (special invitations, assemblies, fundraisers, etc.) as are available. All dancers also participate in our very popular annual St Andrew’s College Ballet Production Season.

NCEA Dance Credits

Our highly successful NCEA Dance Credit programme is included within the Company programme. Dancers work towards gaining credits every year, progressing to the higher levels as they go through the programme, and can also include gaining University Entrance in Dance.

Monday: Company session 2.30pm–4.00pm

Wednesday: Dance Pilates 7.30am–8.15am

Thursday: Company session 3.30pm–6.00pm

Fourth Year / Year 12 (Fourth year of the Diploma) 

All Year 12 dancers will take the NZAMD Advanced Diploma Syllabus. The Advanced Diploma is a qualification examination, meaning that once gained, you may use the ‘letters’ of A.NZAMD after your name. And it is a ‘gateway’ achievement to teaching or tutoring ballet. For those who wish to enter the examination but not dance en pointe, this is allowed, and the exam is called ‘Grade 9.’  

Senior Performance Award – Level 4. All dancers will perform a short solo before an audience. This can be any dance – from class work such as NCEA or examination dances, or a solo from private lessons, or the dancer’s own choreography.  More details later in the year.  

Fifth Year / Year 13 (Fifth, and final year, of the Diploma) 

 StAC Ballet Graduate Diploma Examination. All Year 13 dancers will take the StAC Ballet Graduate Diploma (with an external examiner). Also, any dancer who has gained Honours or above in their Year 12. Those who gained Honours or above in their Year 12 Advanced Diploma examination may also enter for the NZAMD ‘Solo Performance Diploma’.  

Senior Performance Award – Gold.  All dancers will perform a short solo before an audience. More details later in the year. 

The Company has had many dancers with various co-curricular interests and responsibilities (in and outside of the College) besides their involvement with the Ballet Company. We understand that our students may wish to take advantage of all things on offer. Therefore, flexible weekly attendance hours are certainly allowed and discussed with Dr Cairns on a case by case basis. However, before NCEA assessments or performances/shows, full commitment is needed at that time. If a dancer requires flexibility, then their expectations on NCEA participation, exam grades/production parts should also be flexible.

$450 per term.

Whether dancers attend all or a reduced number of sessions, the price is the same as this is well below industry standards and we have tutors in place teaching classes regardless of your attendance, so the incentive, and our wish, is for each dancer to be fully involved. Any additional costs, such as exam entries or costumes, will be disbursed as required. All guest tutors/special guest experiences during the scheduled company hours carry no additional costs. Extra weekend ‘intensives’ carry a small additional charge.

A reminder that an experienced dancer who is not yet part of the St Andrew's College Ballet Academy is very welcome to apply. It has been wonderful to have new people join us. If you know of anyone who may like to join, the requirement to apply is that they must have the same level of training as the new Year 12 Company members. Enquiries are welcome by contacting Ballet Academy Artistic Director, Dr Carolyn Cairns, at ballet@stac.school.nz.

Uniform items are from both Dance Pacific and St Andrew's College.

At this stage we are considering a uniform change and will inform all Ballet Company members of it, once completed.