The RAD Silver Swans Summer School 2025

July 2025

A HUGE well done to our seven Silver Swans who attended the Royal Academy of Dance Summer School in London this week! What a fantastic experience becoming full-time ballerinas!

Gill, our administrator (and Sonia’s mum), attended too, despite having had two full knee replacements in the last 11 months!

“What a fantastic week I’ve had at the RAD Silver Swans summer school! I thought it would be a wonderful way to test my newly replaced knees! Everyone was wonderful & friendly, but it was quickly apparent that not only did I not know my left from my right, I didn’t know when I needed a straight or bent leg! After all - my ballet experience was with painful straight legs (except pliés of course). But before I knew it I was walking around on demi pointe - WALKING on demi pointe! A first ever.

More firsts quickly followed with pas de bourree on demi pointe and fondu to demi pointe.

In musical theatre jazz, it was so great to have a good boogie session and ‘running’ on to do the “can-can” (no one attempted splits though). I had a fantastic contemporary class, thoroughly enjoyable. 

To think 4.5 months ago it was so painful just to stand for 5mins, let alone do 3.5hrs of dance each day.

Although my firsts may appear trivial to others, I completed all the classes without extra rests, and my new knees & I can’t wait to do it all again next year!”

I’m super proud of you all for seizing fantastic opportunities like this, even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone a little! True passion for ballet!