1986 – Ballet Cymru established under Darius James

Founded in 1986 by artistic director Darius James and administrative director Yvonne Williams, Ballet Cymru aimed to provide and produce high quality classical ballet in Wales, initially making a small range of commissions from choreographers, including The Royal Ballet’s Jennifer Jackson and the Royal Swedish Ballet’s Isabelle Taylor. James was born in Wales and studied at The Royal Ballet School before dancing with Northern Ballet Theatre and Alexander Roy’s London Ballet Theatre. Ballet Cymru received its first Arts Council grant in 2003. In 2006, Ballet Cymru won a Critics Circle National Dance Award. The company secured further funding in 2011 from Arts Council of Wales and an award from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in 2012, ensuring the company could strategically plan for longer than one single year. An education programme entitled DUETS was established to provide training for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ballet Cymru is based in Newport, south Wales.