Podcast » Christopher Wheeldon
Christopher Wheeldon talks in 2003 with his former classmate and Royal Ballet First Soloist Jane Burn. Christopher speaks about his early years in dance with candour and charm, mentioning Anatole...
training » The Royal Ballet School
The ballet writer Gerald Dowler is joined in a special episode of Voices of British Ballet by Monica Mason (former Royal Ballet student, principal dancer and director), Jane Pritchard (curator of...
Timeline Event » 1912 – Winifred Edwards joins Anna Pavlova’s company
Most famous for the work she did with many dancers of The Royal Ballet towards the end of her career, the fascinating early life of Winifred Edwards (1895-1989) is often overlooked. Her early...
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 » 1956 – The Sadler’s Wells Ballet Companies and School became The Royal Ballet, The Royal Ballet Touring Company and The Royal Ballet School
In the autumn of 1956, Ninette de Valois’ companies and school received the Royal Charter, bringing all three entities under the one title of The Royal Ballet, with HM The Queen as Patron and HRH...
Timeline Event » 1964 – Ballet for All established
Born in 1920, writer and lecturer Peter Brinson studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Keble College, Oxford. After serving during World War Two, Brinson worked at the London Film Centre, and...
Timeline Event » 1969 – Northern Dance Theatre (later Northen Ballet Theatre) formed
Canadian-born Laverne Meyer studied at the Rambert School and The Royal Ballet School, joining Western Theatre Ballet in 1957, where he danced principal roles before eventually becoming assistant...
Timeline Event » 1973 – David Gayle’s Yorkshire Ballet Seminars established
David Gayle danced with The Royal Ballet in the 1960’s and, on leaving the company, was the very first man to enrol on the newly formed Teacher Training Course at The Royal Ballet School. He...
Timeline Event » 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...
Timeline Event » 1997 – New premises for dance companies
The millennium years and the 2010s can be seen as a time when investment within British dance went not to artistic output, but to infrastructure in the form of new facilities for dance companies....
Timeline Event » 1999 – The BalletBoyz established
British-born dancers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt first met at The Royal Ballet School and built an important friendship during their respective careers as principal dancers with The Royal...
Timeline Event » 2000 – First Young British Dancer of the Year competition held
Young British Dancer of the Year was a competition envisaged by Gailene Stock in 1999, with the first competition taking place in 2000. Her idea was to find and nurture talented dancers throughout...
Timeline Event » 2014 – Alexander Whitley Dance Company established
Alexander Whitley trained at The Royal Ballet School and started his performing career with Birmingham Royal Ballet. Leaving the classical landscape, Whitley moved on to dance with contemporary...