Solos Evening 2026

Last Thursday 19 and Friday 20 March, students from 1st, 2nd and Pre-professional Years performed a range of solo variations from the classical repertoire in the Linden Theatre at Upper School for our donors, staff and parents. The students had been studying these solos for their school assessments and were thrilled to have another performance opportunity this term ahead of our Summer Performances. 

This year’s performances paid tribute to alumni who have emerged from the School over the last 100 years, ahead of the launch of our new coffee-table book Strength and Grace: Portraits of The Royal Ballet School.  

The book celebrates over 60 of the School’s influential former students and the impact they have made on the world of ballet and beyond.  

We were delighted to welcome photographer Rick Guest, stylist Olivia Pomp and writer Sarah Crompton to the performance to get a glimpse of the next generation of world-class dancers and future artistic leaders.  

Students danced solos from Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Napoli, La Fille mal gardée, Le Corsaire, Birthday Offering, Marco Spada, Grand Pas Classique, Don Quixote, Giselle, La Bayadère, Paquita and Diana and Actaeon.  

Solos Evening honours the memory of renowned English dancer, former teacher and Associate Director of the School, Barbara Fewster (1928 – 2024), who understood and deeply valued the importance of musicality.  

We were grateful to Lynn Wallis who attended Thursday evening’s performance to present this year’s Barbara Fewster Award for Musicality to:   

• Gia Ball, 1st Year – Beriosova variation from Frederick Ashton’s Birthday Offering 

• Minjun Suh, 2nd Year – Basilio, Act III variation from Marius Petipa’s Don Quixote 

• Millan De Benito Arancon, Pre-professional Year – Act II male variation from Marius Petipa’s Le Corsaire.  

Thank you to the students and staff who worked so hard to prepare for the Solos Evening performances.