The Royal Ballet School has long been synonymous with excellence in classical ballet training. Recognised globally for its commitment to nurturing elite dancers and choreographers, the School continually pushes the boundaries of performing arts education. Through an innovative, holistic approach that integrates world-class training, healthcare, and technology, The Royal Ballet School is shaping the future of ballet.

A Global Leader in Ballet Education

The Royal Ballet School is widely regarded as a global leader in high-performance classical ballet education. Beyond its legacy of producing some of the world’s greatest dancers, the School is committed to setting new standards in ballet training. It takes a progressive approach that balances classical ballet heritage with comprehensive well-being and healthcare support, ensuring students not only excel artistically but also build resilience for long, successful careers.

“It is our responsibility and privilege to set the global standard—by continually innovating in training, healthcare, and operations, we equip students for artistic excellence, longevity, and resilience.” –  Karen Sheriff , Head of Healthcare at the Royal Ballet School. 

The Role of Healthcare in Ballet Training

Ensuring dancers can perform at their best requires a strong foundation of physical and mental well-being. The Royal Ballet School’s Head of Healthcare, Karen Sheriff is at the forefront of this mission, safeguarding students’ health while optimising their performance capabilities.

“Our objectives are twofold: first, to provide world-class, evidence-based healthcare to support the physical demands of professional ballet training; second, to build a culture of holistic health where students are empowered to care for their bodies and minds.””

This commitment extends beyond traditional healthcare. The School collaborates with artistic teachers, international colleagues, research institutions, and now a full-time data analyst to harness insights that enhance student outcomes. By embedding research into its operations, the School proactively manages risks, emphasising prevention and early intervention to keep students healthy and performing at their peak.

Harnessing Technology with Teamworks AMS

A key aspect of The Royal Ballet School’s success is its adoption of Teamworks AMS, a cutting-edge platform that revolutionises performance monitoring.

• Daily Student Logging: Students use Teamworks AMS to track vital metrics such as sleep quality, hydration, fatigue, and stress levels.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: The Healthcare Team leverages this data to gain insights into students’ physical and mental well-being, helping them tailor personalised conditioning and healthcare programmes.
• Streamlined Medical Records: Teamworks serves as a central hub for all medical records, ensuring seamless communication and continuity of care between healthcare and artistic teams.

“Teamworks AMS has been instrumental in streamlining our communication and performance monitoring systems.”

By integrating wellness data, medical notes, and performance metrics into a single platform, the School enhances operational efficiency, allowing for personalised training and care that optimises each dancer’s performance and long-term well-being.

“Teamworks AMS also serves as the central hub for all medical records, ensuring the Healthcare Team has secure and immediate access to vital information for streamlined communication and continuity of care across disciplines. Integrating various facets of student care—wellness data, medical notes, and performance metrics—into one platform has significantly enhanced our operational efficiency. This allows us to maximise efficiency for personalised training and care, ensuring every student receives the support they need to thrive.”

Pioneering the Future of Ballet with Data-Driven Insights

The Royal Ballet School continues to lead the way in innovation, becoming the first to integrate data-driven insights into its training methodology. A key milestone in this evolution is the introduction of a full-time data analyst—an unprecedented move that sets a new standard in the world of ballet.

“This pioneering position reflects our commitment to innovation and excellence. The Data Analyst works closely with our Healthcare and Artistic Teams (collectively, the ‘Performance Team’) to collect and analyse data on students’ training loads, injury patterns, and overall well-being.”

This groundbreaking initiative cements The Royal Ballet School’s leadership in the performing arts, ensuring that every student receives the best possible support to thrive in their training and careers.

Setting the Global Standard for Ballet Education

Through a combination of elite training, cutting-edge healthcare, and advanced technology, The Royal Ballet School continues to set the global standard in ballet education. By embracing innovation and holistic well-being, the School is not only preserving the art of ballet but also shaping its future for generations to come.As the world of performing arts evolves, The Royal Ballet School remains at the forefront—ensuring its dancers are not only exceptional artists but also resilient, well-supported individuals ready to take on the world stage.

If you would like to learn more about Teamworks AMS, get in contact with us.