Royal Ballet School centenary gala sees students alongside The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet
The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and The Royal Ballet School will share the stage at the Royal Opera House this October in a rare joint performance marking the School’s 100th anniversary.
A Centenary Celebration of The Royal Ballet School, running from 8 to 10 October 2026, will unite current students, alumni and dancers from the two companies that grew from Ninette de Valois’ vision when she founded the School in 1926.
The balance between tradition and innovation is central to the gala’s conception. Alongside historic works by de Valois, Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan sit new creations from choreographers whose own careers began at the School, illustrating the continuing influence of the institution on British ballet.
For Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, the occasion reflects the origins of both companies. He points out that de Valois’ determination to create what became The Royal Ballet and later Birmingham Royal Ballet “began with her founding of The Royal Ballet School in 1926”, establishing what he calls the foundations of English ballet training.
The evening opens with a suite from de Valois’ Checkmate, performed by Royal Ballet School students alongside leading artists from The Royal Ballet. Ashton’s Birthday Offering, created to celebrate the Sadler’s Wells Ballet’s 25th anniversary, will be danced by performers from both companies, while Wayne McGregor‘s Nimbus represents the contemporary strand of the programme.
The programme also includes excerpts from Swan Lake, Kenneth MacMillan’s Winter Dreams and Manon, and David Bintley‘s Still Life at the Penguin Café. More recent creations will be represented by Joshua Junker’s That’s someone you never forget and a duet by Loughlan Prior, originally created for Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb as part of The McRae/Vassilev Project.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, O’Hare described his own years at the School as “life-changing” and recalled being among the last generation to work with both de Valois and Ashton. Those experiences, he said, stayed with him throughout his career, making it “a real honour to bring together the School, The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet” for a celebration that looks simultaneously to the companies’ past and future.
Three new commissions see a Christopher Wheeldon piece for Lauren Cuthbertson and Lukas B. Brændsrød, while Cathy Marston creates a duet for Matthew Ball and William Bracewell inspired by her recent Royal Ballet work Against the Tide, and Valentino Zucchetti‘s contribution will bring together dancers from both companies and students from across all years of the School in a celebratory finale.
The Royal Ballet School’s Artistic Director Iain Mackay, himself a former student who went on to dance with Birmingham Royal Ballet, sees the gala as a symbolic reunion. “A Centenary Celebration brings that journey full circle,” he said, uniting current students, alumni and dancers from the institutions that emerged from de Valois’ vision a century ago.
Mackay also stressed that the anniversary is about more than preserving history. Echoing de Valois’ belief in continual renewal, he said the responsibility of the School is not simply to safeguard its inheritance but to ensure ballet continues to evolve by nurturing “the artists, leaders and creatives who will influence what ballet becomes tomorrow”.
For Birmingham Royal Ballet Director Carlos Acosta, the event carries a personal resonance. Calling it “extraordinary” to share a stage with “our sister companies” at the Royal Opera House, he reflected on the role that the School and its associated companies have played in his life and career.
Acosta summed up the spirit of the evening through de Valois’ own words: “respect the past, herald the future, but concentrate on the present”. He added: “One hundred years ago she had a vision. Look at us now!”
Tickets are on sale through the Royal Ballet and Opera website, with prices starting at £9.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
