Leeds
Contact: Leanne Kirkham, Director of Learning
Northern Ballet has had a good partnership with York St. John University for 5 years. Two Second year student teachers have the option of a soft-placement at Northern Ballet for one week. During the placement they are exposed to a non-school learning environment. The university generally makes the selection, but Northern Ballet has on occasion requested students from non-white backgrounds or men.
The Northern Ballet wardrobe department also has an excellent partnership with Huddersfield University. Final year BA Hons Costume and Textiles students have a minimum 12-week placement, and some later work for the company.
Also, with Leeds Trinity, Northern Ballet provides a one-week placement for 2 students as it does for York. St. John.
Northern Ballet also has links with Hull College. The company has made an input to a first year module on the BA Hons Dance course, on work-related learning.
Leeds Beckett University hires studios at Northern Ballet.
For this company, the main challenges involved in working with HE institutions is the timing of end of year evaluation and the management of paperwork in time for beginning and closing courses. The company would like to have more involvement with the HE sector. However, with staff time already stretched, it would be difficult to accomplish more in this area.
Other placement opportunities are always advertised externally to encourage as wide a pool of possible applicants as possible.