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Lynne Charles, Artistic Director of English National Ballet School, discusses the school's new Graduate Artist Programme (GAP), a postgraduate program that combines performing with English National Ballet and continued education. Unlike traditional programs where students serve as "free labor," GAP dancers perform with the company while continuing ballet, repertoire, strength training, and audition prep. Lynne shares how ENBS prepares students for professional life, from teaching them to research companies and understand the difference between repertory and choreographer companies, to building sustainable careers through community over competition.

She also discusses creating the 4 Pointe method, a holistic approach to pointe work that's reduced injuries by 48% at BYU, and her stance against early competition culture and starting pointe before age 12. Lynne offers refreshingly direct advice on honest teaching, helping dancers showcase their strengths in auditions, and finding companies where they'll thrive. Plus: the school's robust health and wellbeing protocols, the "no phones in the studio" policy, why repertoire class builds community better than variations class, and why being in the corps de ballet is a rite of passage, not a punishment.

KEY TOPICS:

• ENBS Graduate Artist Programme structure and opportunities
• Understanding different company cultures and contracts
• 4 Pointe method and injury prevention
• Audition strategies and company research
• Building community over competition
• Safeguarding and student wellbeing protocols

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Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/new-future License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI