Birmingham Royal Ballet News

Elmhurst Ballet Company presents its London premier of Synergy at Sadler's Wells Lilian Baylis Studio.

Lydia Brayshaw is a seventeen year old full-time ballet student training at Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, the vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet.

As ballet superstar Carlos Acosta takes up the reins at Birmingham Royal Ballet, his critically-acclaimed company of young Cuban dancers embarks on a ten-venue nationwide tour. It brings its latest programme, Evolution to The Lowry, Salford on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March.

Less than one month into his new job as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta announces plans for world premieres, classic revivals and brand-new partnerships in his first year as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Opportunity, talent and inspiration are the key ingredients that underpin his vision and ambition for the company.

Sadler's Sampled is Sadler's Wells' annual parade of varied dance offerings - although this year proved somewhat of a disappointment from previous iterations. The selected work felt unbalanced in favour of contemporary performances, and for this traditionalist, the lack of any classical work weighed heavy.

Jessica Wheeler, Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School, the vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, has been selected as a finalist in the Business Woman of the Year category of the 'Ladies First Awards 2020', a charity event in support of the Katie Piper Foundation.

The renowned graduate performing company Ballet Central will commence its annual tour at Stratford Circus in London, on Thursday 26th March 2020. Under the artistic direction of Christopher Marney, Ballet Central's diverse range of dance and theatre will perform in 13 venues across England over a five month period (full tour schedule at the end of the release) concluding in London on 18th July.

​​​​​​​Shanghai Ballet was founded in 1966. Spanning over thirty years, this company embraces a blend of traditional and Western dance styles. Xin Lili, Artistic Director since 2011, has brought to the company English versions of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, a French version of Coppelia and La Sylphide, as well as George Balanchine's Serenade and La Valse. Lili has also invited creations to be made for the Shanghai Ballet. Currently, the Artistic Director of the Shanghai Ballet and it's eighty dancers is Derek Deane with his team. My first impression was that this is a fresh, young company, full of enthusiasm and with room to grow.

In 2018, Elmhurst Ballet School, the vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, championed their home city of Birmingham in a photographic campaign that presented students dancing in and around Brum. Two years later and a brand new campaign, Surpass Your Potential: Train at Elmhurst Ballet School, celebrates the diversity, individuality and talent of Elmhurst students from across its Lower and Upper Schools.

As ballet superstar Carlos Acosta takes up the reins at Birmingham Royal Ballet, his critically-acclaimed company of Cuban dancers embarks on a ten-venue nationwide tour of its latest programme, Evolution, opening at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton on 3 and 4 March.

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, and Executive Director Barry Hughson today announced the company will tour to the historic Royal Opera House in London, UK for the first time in 41 years. The National Ballet will perform one of its most treasured classics, The Sleeping Beauty from July 28 a?" August 1, 2020 for seven performances.

Celebrating 50 years of 'Bringing Dance to Life' in New Orleans, the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) continues its golden anniversary year with a glittering, star-studded 50th Anniversary Evening of Stars on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m., at the Mahalia Jackson Theater.

The Duchess of Cornwall will visit Elmhurst Ballet School, the vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, on 22 January 2020. Her Royal Highness has been Patron of Elmhurst since 2006 and this will be her fourth visit to the Edgbaston based school.

The Chinese Festival Committee Birmingham and Birmingham Hippodrome have announced Birmingham's massive Chinese New Year celebrations. Chinese New Year 2020 - sponsored by Birmingham Airport and The Galliard Apsley Partnership - welcomes in the Year of the Rat with three days of free festivities across the city.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's critically acclaimed Swan Lake, first created in 1981 by Sir Peter Wright and Galina Samsova, will tour the UK from 29 January 2020.

The winners of this year's prestigious Linbury Prize for Stage Design were announced at a ceremony at the National Theatre yesterday, 2 December, marking 30 years since the prize was first held at the NT.

Elmhurst Ballet Company has announced the details of Synergy, an evening of dance excerpts by some of the most influential figures in the history of ballet, including Ninette de Valois's Checkmate, widely regarded as de Valois' signature ballet and a cornerstone of the British ballet repertoire. Excerpts from Frederick Ashton's Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Peter Wright's Swan Lake, and David Bintley's Take Five also appear in the mix, and will be combined with new works, including a contemporary piece by Studio Wayne McGregor.

Shanghai Ballet and China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. present Derek Deane's Grand Swan Lake from January 17-19, 2020 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, NYC. Tickets are $36-$176, and will be available online atDavidHKochTheater.com, by phone at 212-496-0600, or by visiting the David H. Koch Theater Box Office at 20 Lincoln Center Plaza. Performances: Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 1pm.

In their second visit to London's dance house, Acosta Danza return with a varied bill, following a successful debut in 2017. It culminates in a guest appearance from the man himself as he approaches his second Artistic Director role with Birmingham Royal Ballet in the new year. 

Shanghai Ballet and China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. present Derek Deane's Grand Swan Lake from January 17-19, 2020at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, NYC. Tickets are $36-$176, and will be available online at DavidHKochTheater.com, by phone at 212-496-0600, or by visiting the David H. Koch Theater Box Office at 20 Lincoln Center Plaza. Performances: Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 1pm.