1970 – The Royal Ballet Touring Company becomes The Royal Ballet New Group (later renamed Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet)

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SIR PETER WRIGHT; b: 1926, British ballet dancer, choreographer, director ; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, UK ; 5 July 2006 ; Credit Bill Cooper / ArenaPAL ;

The Royal Ballet went through a period of re-organisation in 1970, attempting to integrate the Covent Garden and Touring sections of the company. The core of the dancers would remain at Covent Garden, whilst a group of around 25, all interchangeable with the larger entity, would perform smaller-scale and more experimental repertory. The group would be known as The Royal Ballet New Group and would work under the artistic directorship of Peter Wright. In 1977, the New Group, which by then was ostensibly the Touring Company again, returned to take up residence at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, christened with a new name – Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet.

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