The Royal Ballet Presents Black History Month Draft Works

This October, Royal Ballet Principal dancer Marcelino Sambé curates Black History Month Draft Works in the Clore Studio, an evening celebrating Black creators and choreographers whose voices are shaping the future of ballet. Featuring five emerging female choreographers and a range of dancers from The Royal Ballet, Ballet Black, and freelance artists, Draft Works provides artists the opportunity to develop new choreographic ideas. 

Company Wayne McGregor alumnus Hannah Joseph and Royal Ballet Artist Rebecca Myles Stewart create new works for dancers of The Royal Ballet. Olivier award-winning dancer Isabela Coracy presents a work performed by members of Ballet Black. The programme also features works by two of the current Sadler's Wells Young Associate Choreographers, BLUE MAKWANA and Elisabeth Mulenga. MAKWANA presents a new work performed by two Royal Ballet artists and members of the Company's Aud Jebsen programme, while Mulenga's work will be performed by freelance artists Steffi Fashokun, Kirke Gross, Adhya Shastry and Magnus Westwell. The works will all be set to the music of Black composers and musicians, lighting design for all works is by Prema Mehta. 

Black History Month Draft Works is the third in a yearly series of evenings curated by Black artists from The Royal Ballet, celebrating a range of Black talent in dance and music. It follows Royal Ballet Choreographic Residency Joseph Toonga's Rhythm in Resilience (2023), and Royal Ballet Principal Joseph Sissens' Legacy (2024). This year, all works are inspired by Sambé's own journey exploring the legacy of Black musical artists across history.