Covent Garden takeover
Join us for our partnership with Covent Garden in a piazza-wide cultural takeover celebrating 100 years of The Royal Ballet School.
Launching from 22 June, the six-day activation will transform the iconic Piazza into an immersive hub of dance and creativity.
The takeover will include daily screenings of students in class, on stage and in student choreography showcases with live public participation. For the very first time, the public will be able to watch full length classes, all screened for free on Covent Garden’s Big Screen. The week-long screenings will also feature a series of classic dance films: Billy Elliot, Center Stage, An American in Paris, Save the Last Dance, Step Up and Ballerina.
Whilst watching this specially curated out-door programme, visitors will be able to enjoy food and drink pop-ups from Chapel Down, TOKKIA and Blondies Kitchen.
There will be a special opportunity for visitors to be part of the centenary celebrations by securing a photo with a new sculpture created by former English National Ballet dancer and photographer Amber Hunt. The ‘Strength and Grace Butterfly’, crafted from ballet shoes previously worn by students from the School.
The celebration will extend above the Piazza with a major ballet-inspired aerial installation suspended within Covent Garden’s historic Market Building.
Visitors will have the opportunity to buy School merchandise and win prizes including tickets to our centenary Summer Performances.
Date
22 to 27 June
Location
Cost
Free
See the week-long programme below
11.00 – Character class: 2nd Year students taught by Kate Swainston
12.15 – Student choreography: Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreography 2025
12.50 – Student performance: Solos Evening 2026
13.40 – Student choreography: Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2023
14.50 – Summer Performance 2025: White Lodge students at Opera Holland Park
15.55 – Ballet class: Year 10 taught by Belinda Hatley
17.30 – Film: Center Stage (2000)
19.40 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2024 at the Linbury Theatre
11.00 – Stagecraft class: 1st Year students taught by Christina Arestis and Thomas Whitehead
12.15 – Student choreography: Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2023
13.25 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2025 at the Linbury Theatre
15.10 – Student choreography: Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreography 2025
15.45 – Student performance: Solos Evening 2026
16.35 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2023 at the Linbury Theatre
17.30 – Film: An American in Paris (1951)
19.40 – Summer Performance 2025: Upper School students at Opera Holland Park
11.00 – Contemporary class: 1st Year students taught by Sean Wood
12.30 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2024 at the Linbury Theatre
13.55 – Summer Performance 2025: White Lodge students at Opera Holland Park
15.05 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2023 at the Linbury Theatre
16.00 – Ballet class: Year 10 taught by Belinda Hatley
17.30 – Film: Ballerina (2016)
19.15 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2025 at the Linbury Theatre
11.00 – Student choreography: Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2026
12.25 – Ballet class: Pre-professional Year taught by Denzil Bailey
13.45 – Student choreography: Kenneth MacMillan Emerging Choreographer 2025
14.45 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2024 at the Linbury Theatre
16.10 – Contemporary class: 1st Year students taught by Sean Wood
17.30 – Film: Step-up (2006)
19.30 – Student choreography: Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2023
20.45 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2023 at the Linbury Theatre
11.00 – Student performance: Solos Evening 2026
11.55 – Student choreography: Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2024/2025
13.10 – 2026 Summer Performance rehearsals with Zenaida Yanowsky
14.15 – Student choreography: Kenneth MacMillan Emerging Choreographer 2025
15.45 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2025 at the Linbury Theatre
17.30 – Film: Mary Poppins (1964)
19.20 – Summer Performance 2025: Upper School students at Opera Holland Park
11.00 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2025 at the Linbury Theatre
12.30 – Live participation: learn some ballet steps with us!
13.15 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2023 at the Linbury Theatre
14.00 – Live participation: learn some ballet steps with us!
14.40 – 2026 Summer Performance rehearsals with Zenaida Yanowsky
15.30 – Live participation: learn some ballet steps with us!
16.10 – Ballet class: Pre-professional Year taught by Denzil Bailey
17.30 – Film: Billy Elliot the Musical (2014)
20.30 – Student performance: Next Generation Festival 2024 at the Linbury Theatre
