About us and our founder
Recognised worldwide, the Susan Robinson School of Ballet & Performing Arts is one of the top non-vocational dancing schools in the country. The school was founded by Susan Robinson in 1975 in Byfleet, Surrey. Over the past 45 years thousands of dancers have passed through the school, with many going on to have successful careers as dancers and choreographers.
Susan Robinson - Founder of the School
ARAD, Advanced Teaching Dip, RAD Examiner, FRAD
Susan Robinson won a scholarship to Elmhurst Ballet School and subsequently to the Royal Ballet School, training under distinguished teachers such as Dame Ninette de Valois. After graduating, Miss Sue danced professionally for a number of years, including touring many of the German and Dutch Opera Houses with the Wuppertal Ballet Company.
On returning to England, Miss Sue taught professional dancers at the London Dance Centre in Floral Street before obtaining the Royal Academy of Dance’s Advanced Teaching Diploma and founding The Susan Robinson School of Ballet in 1975. In 1976, she was appointed as an Examiner for The Royal Academy of Dance.
In May 2011, Miss Sue had the honour of meeting the Queen and Prince Phillip at Buckingham Palace as a recognition of her long service teaching young people in the Arts. Additionally, it was with great pride that Miss Sue received the Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance, their highest honour , from Dame Darcey Bussell DBE in July 2019 .
Miss Sue very sadly passed away in October 2020. She left her school to Miss Cathy, Miss Jade and Miss Lara (all past pupils), who will continue to run the school exactly as Miss Sue would have wished.
About the school
The Susan Robinson School of Ballet & Performing Arts offers ballet, tap, modern, jazz, PBT (progressing ballet technique) and musical theatre classes for children aged 2½ - 18 in Byfleet and Woking.
The ethos of the school is to provide a happy, friendly, professional and focused environment in which pupils will enjoy learning and be inspired to achieve results of the highest possible standards.
Ballet Exams of the Royal Academy of Dance and Modern & Tap Examinations of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance are offered every term at the discretion of the principals. Junior, Intermediate and Advanced Jazz classes are also offered, with the opportunity to take the Bronze, Silver and Gold ISTD Awards. The school is one of the few in the country that teaches ballet at all levels: from Pre-Primary through Graded and Vocational exams right up to Advanced II and Solo Seal level.
Selected students are entered for festivals and all pupils are invited to appear in the bi-annual production. In addition, students regularly make appearances with major international ballet companies including the Bolshoi Ballet, the Kirov Ballet, La Scala Milan Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet and the Northern Ballet.
All members of the experienced staff hold an Enhanced Disclosure CRB Certificate and are committed to bringing every student to their full potential through their passion for dance and excellent teaching.
The school welcomes students & staff from all backgrounds.
Our school is committed to being anti-racist and to always being inclusive, embracing diversity and supporting equality.
We expect all our staff and students to respect differences, to be thoughtful about their behaviour at all times and to be supportive and respectful to one another.