CentenaryDonate
Samara downs has her dark short hair tied back in a ponytail and wears a long black t-shirt with 'birmingham royal ballet' written on the front left. Her arms are gesturing in front of her, and her head is turned to the right in profile, looking towards the students.

‘Refine all the time:’ alum Samara Downs on staging Checkmate and Swan Lake for our Summer Performances 

Alumni news, Performances and events

‘Refine all the time:’ alum Samara Downs on staging Checkmate and Swan Lake for our Summer Performances  School alum and Birmingham Royal Ballet Principal dancer Samara Downs recently returned to the School to set Ninette de Valois’s Checkmate and Peter Wright’s Swan Lake on our Upper School students for our 2026 Summer Performances. She has previously worked with our students on Frederick Ashton’s La Valse for our 2024 Summer Performances.  Samara talked to us about her experience working with the students after a Swan Lake Spanish divertissement rehearsal. ‘The students were […]

‘Refine all the time:’ alum Samara Downs on staging Checkmate and Swan Lake for our Summer Performances  Read More »

Frederick ashton emerging choreographer 2026 

Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2026 

Choreographic Programme, Performances and events, School life

Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2026  On Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 May, our 2nd Year students participated in the annual Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer performances, held at the Upper School Linden Studio Theatre.  Named for the Founding Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Frederick Ashton, this event invites students to develop and present their own choreography under the guidance of Choreographic Course Coordinator & Tutor Mikaela Polley. The 15 student

Frederick Ashton Emerging Choreographer 2026  Read More »

School supporters celebrate centenary at the king’s gallery, buckingham palace 

School supporters celebrate centenary at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace 

Centenary, Performances and events

School supporters celebrate centenary at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace  On 22 and 23 April, The Royal Ballet School hosted donors, supporters, friends and members of the School community for two memorable evenings at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace to celebrate the School’s centenary.   Guests were granted exclusive access to the critically acclaimed exhibition Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, the largest display of the monarch’s wardrobe ever staged. This exhibition provided a fitting context to

School supporters celebrate centenary at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace  Read More »

Six white lodge prize winners show work at the young art 2026 exhibition

Six White Lodge prize winners show work at the Young Art 2026 Exhibition

Community and outreach, Performances and events, School life

Six White Lodge prize winners show work at the Young Art 2026 Exhibition Head of Art Clare Quamina recently accompanied six White Lodge students to Christie’s auction house in St James’s to view their artwork in the Young Art Exhibition. She writes, ‘On Tuesday 21 April Year 9 students Chien-Ning, Myles, Eliana, Alba and Ryleigh and Year 11 student Ayuka

Six White Lodge prize winners show work at the Young Art 2026 Exhibition Read More »

Four pre-professional year students perform in the yagp international dance school festival at lincoln center 

Four Pre-professional Year students perform in the YAGP International Dance School Festival at Lincoln Center 

Performances and events, School life

Four Pre-professional Year students perform in the YAGP International Dance School Festival at Lincoln Center  Pre-Professional Year students Ivan, Millán, Nanoha and Samantha represented the School at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) International Dance School Festival in New York City on 18 April 2026. The gala featured 10 of the world’s leading ballet schools, including ABT Studio Company and JKO School, Beijing Dance Academy, Houston Ballet II,

Four Pre-professional Year students perform in the YAGP International Dance School Festival at Lincoln Center  Read More »

A dancer in a green and white tunic with a shimmer pale headband balances on pointe in arabesque with her right leg back. She smiles towards the audience behind the camera, and her arms are softly bent and raised in front of her. In the background, three dancers in white, yellow and red tunics pose in a small group.

‘A festivity of knowledge:’ Centenary Insight Days recap

Centenary, Performances and events, School life

‘A festivity of knowledge:’ Centenary Insight Days recap Over three Sundays in March, we invited the public to dive into The Royal Ballet School’s past, present and future at our Centenary Insight Day series. Conceived and curated by Manager of Special Collections Dr Anna Meadmore, each day focused on one period in the School’s history, with special guest speakers, unique performances and

‘A festivity of knowledge:’ Centenary Insight Days recap Read More »

A group of dancers huddle together on the stage floor in dark lighting. The backdrop is a dark shadowy blue. The dancers' faces are illuminated by a glowing book, held by a young girl in the center of the group.

Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreographer 2026 

Choreographic Programme, Performances and events, School life

Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreographer 2026  When Dame Ninette de Valois founded her Academy of Choreographic Art in 1926, she planted the seeds for the world’s leading choreographers to thrive over the next century and beyond. Her dream is truly alive and well, as demonstrated by this year’s edition of the Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreographer, one of three performances in the Ninette

Ursula Moreton Emerging Choreographer 2026  Read More »

Solos evening 2026

Solos Evening 2026

Performances and events, School life

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. 

Solos Evening 2026 Read More »

Students performing in the commonwealth day service of celebration. Photos courtesy of royal commonwealth society/picture partnership.

Students perform in Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey

Performances and events

Students perform in Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey On Monday 9 March, Pre-professional Year students Wendel, Elliott and Cian-You were invited to perform at the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society.   Commonwealth Day celebrates the shared values and cooperation of the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries, home to 2.7 billion

Students perform in Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey Read More »

Harry and maria hold each other with one hand and gaze into each other's eyes in front of a long-exposure background of dancers moving behind them.

2nd Year students Harry and Maria on reuniting with choreographer Jessica Lang for our 2026 Summer Performances 

Centenary, Performances and events, Summer Performances

2nd Year students Harry and Maria on reuniting with choreographer Jessica Lang for our 2026 Summer Performances  When Artistic Director Iain Mackay announced the 2026 Summer Performance programme early in the autumn term, 2nd Year students Harry and Maria were thrilled to learn that they would continue working with acclaimed international choreographer Jessica Lang. Jessica worked with the pair and their classmates last year, when she created Sweet Morning Blooms for our 2025 Summer

2nd Year students Harry and Maria on reuniting with choreographer Jessica Lang for our 2026 Summer Performances  Read More »

Shopping Basket

Start typing and press enter to search