Royal Ballet School

The Royal Ballet's Upper School (for students age 16-18) is adjacent to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. The buildings are linked by a bridge, known as 'The Bridge of Aspiration' – a concertina of 23 square portals with glazed intervals supported from an aluminium spine beam, designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects in 2003 – which spans Floral Street at fourth floor level and is said to evoke the fluidity and grace of dance. The building provides air-conditioned studios, one of which doubles as a performance studio with retractable seating for 200. The School is not ordinarily open to the public but has taken part in the annual Open House London event, held in September.