Sadler's Wells Opera Ballet Archives » Voices of British Ballet

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Timeline Event » 1926 – Ninette de Valois opens the Academy of Choreographic Art

Ninette de Valois (1898-2001) was an Irish dancer, choreographer and founding director of The Royal Ballet.In 1918 and 1919 she became principal dancer for the Beecham Opera at Covent Garden and...

Timeline Event » 1945 – Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet created

Thanks to economist John Maynard Keynes, Ninette de Valois’ Sadler’s Wells Ballet was invited to become resident ballet company at the Royal Opera House after the theatre transitioned from its...

Timeline Event » 1946 – First performances by Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet, later Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet

Having appeared in operas at Sadler’s Wells, the new Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet’s first purely ballet evening took place on 8 April, 1946, with a programme comprising Ninette de Valois’ 1943...

Timeline Event » 1955 – Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet is expanded and later becomes The Royal Ballet Touring Company

Peggy van Praagh left the Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet in the summer of 1955. With this development and the understanding that it was increasingly difficult for the Covent Garden troupe to tour...

Timeline Event » 1977 – The Royal Ballet New Group becomes Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet with Peter Wright as director

Peter Wright studied ballet with Kurt Jooss, Vera Volkova and Peggy van Praagh. After dancing with several companies, including Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, he became director of the Sadler’s...

Timeline Event » 1978 – First seaon of Dance Umbrella Festival under Val Bourne

Val Bourne danced with Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet, but by 1976 was working within the Arts Council. She was inspired, along with other colleagues, to establish an initiative to support British...