School alumni unite for BBC Sounds – The Reunion
Six School alumni were recently featured on BBC Sounds – The Reunion, a series which reunites a group of people intimately involved in a moment of modern history. Presented by Kirsty Walk, the episode premiered live on BBC Radio 4 on 14 September 2025, featuring a panel conversation between former students of The Royal Ballet School:
Dame Monica Mason (alumna from 1957), former Principal and Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet
Jonathan Gray (1970s), former Editor of Dancing Times
Vincent Hantam (1970s), former Scottish Ballet Principal and international artist
Dame Darcey Bussell (1980s), former Royal Ballet Principal and current Artist Laureate of the School
Iain Mackay (1990s) former Birmingham Royal Ballet Principal and current Artistic Director of the School
and Matthew Ball (2000s), current Royal Ballet Principal.
Kirsty began the episode with a brief overview of the School, starting in 1926 when Dame Ninette de Valois opened the Academy of Choreographic Art in South Kensington. Students, mainly girls, were taught production design, traditional dances of the British Isles, art and music appreciation, and classical ballet, which Iain emphasised is still at the core of the curriculum today.
‘The national dances were hugely important to Dame Ninette de Valois, and we still do that at the School. All of that is still in the curriculum that we maintain. All of the great classical ballets are built around national dances,’ Iain said. ‘She was an incredible visionary. She was not afraid to look at what worked at other schools and bring them back to her School to make English ballet the best it can be, and we continue to do that.’
Each panelist shared what drew them to train at the School in their youth. Iain attended the School’s Summer Intensive, before joining the Associate Programme. As the only male student in the Programme from Scotland, he travelled from Glasgow to London every two weeks to train with other male dancers. His family was very supportive despite not knowing much about the ballet industry. ‘My grandfather was incredible. He went to the local library and took out every book he could find on ballet. He would write up notes and give them to me. And then later, when I got into the Birmingham Royal Ballet, he found out everything he could about the repertoire and history of that company and wrote me—it was like a thesis!’
Monica and Vincent traveled from their native South Africa to audition. Monica said her mother’s support empowered her to travel far from home for her training. Vincent thanked his teacher, Ivy May McDonald, for seeing potential in him and encouraging him to train abroad during the apartheid South Africa. Darcey and Matthew both had mothers who also trained at the School and gave them insight into the elite training.
Kirsty also asked the alumni about the moments when they felt starstruck by dancers in the School and the Company. Monica recalled seeing Margot Fonteyn in the School corridor and feeling like she would faint. Matthew remembered joking with Rupert Pennefather backstage that he would take the Principal dancer’s place and escort Marianela Nunez on stage. Iain and Rupert were in the same year at the School and would sneak off to watch Carlos Acosta in company rehearsals.
Iain also recalled working with Scottish Ballet as a student and meeting Vincent, who was the Prince in The Nutcracker. ‘It was like being on stage watching a god,’ Iain recalled. At the time, Vincent asked him, ‘Do you want to be a dancer when you’re older?’ and Iain replied, ‘Well, I think I want to be you!’ This impactful first meeting stuck with Iain through his training. ‘When I went to White Lodge and they asked all the boys who their favourite dancer was, they all said Rudolf Nureyev. And I said Vincent Hantam!’
The episode tackled misconceptions about male dancers, inclusion, healthcare and assessments throughout the years. Iain emphasised that spotlighting strong role models, such as Vincent, are important for challenging these stereotypes and inspiring the next generation of dancers, particularly since the Aud Jebsen Young Dancer programme feeds directly to The Royal Ballet each year. ‘The Company can only select from the students that are nurtured here, and that’s why if we are not committed to diversifying, companies will never be able to change. So, that is something that we all need to keep reflecting on and looking at how to achieve that.’
The Royal Ballet School recently worked with Black British Ballet to celebrate pioneers such as Vincent, Brenda Glassman and Julie Felix, providing a space for them to share and reflect their stories with current Upper School students. The Creative Artist Programme continues to invite leaders in the performing arts industry to talk with current students about their experiences and host workshops to help them develop vital career skills.
Iain also channels Ninette’s holistic view of students, which he recalls from his own experiences with her: ‘She was taking an interest in us as people.’ Under his leadership, the School removed auditions for Year 9 to ease the stress that young adolescent dancers already experience. The healthcare team also provide regular strength and conditioning training along with education about proper fuelling.
‘There is acknowledgment that certain practices in teaching long before I joined would not be acceptable now,’ Iain said. ‘We continue to adapt. We have numerous platforms for these young dancers to share their thoughts and call things out. We also have numerous ways to train our teachers. It’s not just about what we’re teaching, it’s how we’re teaching.’
Collectively, the panelists cover 57 years of the School’s near 100-year history. Monica described the unique bond they all share from attending the same school. ‘It is like an enormous family. We all share so much together. We struggle together. We suffer together. But it is a glorious career if it works out for you. And I don’t have a single regret, I must say.’
Vincent concluded, ‘I love it. And long may it continue.’
Listen to The Reunion: The Royal Ballet School programme here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002jgj8.
