The Royal Ballet School Adds Adult Ballet Classes to Its Intensive Courses on Demand
The Royal Ballet School’s Intensive Courses on Demand platform make dance training accessible to anyone, anywhere. The courses have heightened inclusivity in the dance world, where many have historically faced geographical and financial barriers to training.
Now, the School has launched its latest addition to these online courses: a three-part series of adult ballet classes. The classes support those who are returning to ballet and looking to refine their skills and those who are seeking extra training to complement their regular sessions.
The New Ballet Classes for Adults
Upper School ballet teacher Sarah Kundi leads the classes, which are suitable for adults of all levels. However, it is helpful to understand ballet terminology before taking the sessions.
The three classes, available for £10 each, include:
1. Exploring Anticipation and Momentum in Port de Bras
In this session, Kundi examines how anticipation and momentum can improve coordination and flow in port de bras. Dancers explore the correct pathways within classical port de bras and discover how to coordinate their arms and upper body to improve movement fluidity.
Dancers also learn how subtle shifts in energy can create momentum that allows the arms, legs, and body to move in unison.
2. Weight Transfer and Pelvic Alignment
In this session, Kundi focuses on the transference of weight and correct pelvic placement. Practising smooth weight transference techniques and maintaining an aligned, neutral pelvis helps dancers move with efficiency and grace and without compromising stability.
3. Floor Pressure and Articulation of the Feet
In this session, Kundi explores how floor pressure and foot articulation — the controlled rolling through the toes, ball, and heel of the foot — helps dancers improve precision, control, and stability.
Kundi teaches a variety of floor pressure exercises that help dancers understand the strength and control they need for balance, turns, and allegro. Meanwhile, the foot articulation aspect of the class supports the development of smooth transitions and precise foot positioning.
Dancers also learn how floor pressure and foot articulation are critical in reducing the risk of injury.
Sarah Kundi’s Professional Background
Kundi joined The Royal Ballet School’s Artistic staff in 2023 after a two-decade professional career on the stage.
Having trained with Central School of Ballet, she launched her career with Northern Ballet. She then performed with Ballet Black, where she was nominated for a Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Female Performance in the Classical sector. She received this nomination in 2010 for her performance in Will Tuckett’s Depouillement.
Kundi then performed with English National Ballet, where she held a First Artist position. In 2017, she received the Corps de Ballet Award on behalf of the company.
Her extensive repertory with English National Ballet included performing as:
- Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty
- Stepmother Hortensia in Cinderella
- The Queen in The Cage
- Myrtha in Giselle
- Madge in La Sylphide
- Doctor in Creature
Beyond these, Kundi also performed in Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, Song of the Earth, Le Corsaire, The Rite of Spring, Manon, Coppélia, Études, and In the Middle Somewhat Elevated.
Alongside her rich backdrop of performances with English National Ballet, Kundi served as an Advisor and Facilitator of Ballet Futures. As English National Ballet’s pipeline project, this artistic training programme saw her support children from underrepresented backgrounds.
She also coached young dancers entering the company’s annual Emerging Dancer Competition and taught at several summer schools. These included summer schools at The Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School, Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, and Central School of Ballet.
Kundi then completed her Diploma of Dance Teaching with The Royal Ballet School. She now supports the next generation of dancers at White Lodge and Upper School as a ballet teacher.
Preparing A Space for the Classes
The Royal Ballet School has designed its adult ballet classes to ensure they are suitable for small spaces rather than ballet studios.
Students should ensure that any apparatus they use as a barre is stable and safe. The floor should not be uneven or slippery, and students should clear away items that could prevent them from extending their arms and legs.
Students should tie long hair back and wear soft ballet shoes instead of pointe shoes for the three classes. They should practise in a quiet, unobstructed location where they can see Kundi’s demonstrations and hear her instructions and the music.
The Royal Ballet School’s Other Intensive Courses on Demand
The adult ballet classes are the latest in The Royal Ballet School’s expansive suite of video-on-demand courses. Each comes with lifetime access. Students can view the courses on any device, wherever they are, to experience Royal Ballet School training.
Each class has a recommended age band that reflects the level of training that students of this age receive at the School.
Other Intensive Courses on Demand include ballet, contemporary, character, and Pilates classes, plus interviews and talks with the School’s Artistic and Healthcare teams.
The School’s Primary Steps on Demand programme is particularly popular. This programme enables junior schools and other organisations to introduce ballet to their primary education, even if the teachers don’t have any dance experience.
About The Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School blends the rich, classical history of ballet with a future-facing training approach. From offering video auditions to international students who can’t access the London studios to opening its doors to the public for an open day of free ballet classes, the School is committed to ensuring that ballet is accessible to all.
