The Royal Ballet celebrates Bronislava Nijinska in free livestream

On Saturday 18 November at the Royal Opera House's Clore Studio, The Royal Ballet will present an extended Insight event to celebrate the innovative creative genius of Bronislava Nijinska.

The Opera House's Insights give the public an opportunity to discover more about the productions from artists on stage and creators behind the scenes. Events include open rehearsals, in conversations, pre-performance talks, beginners guides, behind-the-scenes demonstrations and workshops. Many can be viewed on the ROH YouTube channel.

In an afternoon of illustrated talks, panel discussion and rehearsals, the event will examine the powerful legacy of a choreographer much neglected in the history of 20th-century dance. It will feature rehearsals with dancers of The Royal Ballet and The Royal Ballet School, and in the centenary year of Les Noces, one of Nijinska's most emblematic works, this event is a timely celebration of an inspirational artist.

Nijinska stands today as an uncompromising and pioneering figure of modern ballet, despite being overshadowed by the fame of her brother, the legendary dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, and battling opportunity undermined by her gender.

She is known for her landmark works, including Les Noces, Les Biches and Le Train Bleu, and her collaborations with the likes of Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky, which inspired choreographers in the 20th century such as Frederick Ashton and George Balanchine. 

This Insight event is curated by the choreographer Avatâra Ayuso, with guests including Dame Monica Mason, former Director of The Royal Ballet, and Lynn Garafola, author of La Nijinska: Choreographer of the Modern.

The event will also be streamed for free on The Royal Opera House's YouTube channel.

General booking opens on 4 October 2023.

This event will be held in the Clore Studio on Saturday 18 November 2023. Tickets cost £40 and are available from the Royal Opera House website.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.