Category: Dance

thousands of spectators have followed the Prix de Lausanne 2024 Finals at the Beaulieu Theatre and through the live streaming. Among the 20 Finalists, 9 were awarded a scholarship allowing them to enter one of the partner schools or companies of the Prix de Lausanne. Tomorrow, on Sunday, the candidates will take part in the Networking Forum, which will give them the opportunity to meet representatives of the partner institutions.

86 out of the 88 initially selected candidates have participated in the competition week and 20 of them reached the Finals that took place on Saturday in front of a full house at the Beaulieu Theatre.

At the end of the Finals, the jury, presided this year by Dame Darcey Bussell, selected 9 Prize Winners. Thanks to their scholarships, these 9 talented dancers will have the opportunity to enter one of the prestigious partner schools and companies of the Prix de Lausanne.

The 9 Prize Winners of the 2024 competition are:

BOURSE JEUNE ESPOIR

FONDATION CARIS

BOURSE JEUNE ÉTOILE                

OAK FOUNDATION

FONDATION COROMANDEL

BOURSE ASTARTE 

BOURSE AUD JEBSEN 

FONDATION MAURICE BÉJART               

FONDATION ANITA ET WERNER DAMM-ETIENNE

Other Awards:

BEST YOUNG TALENT AWARD, offered by the RUDOLF NOUREYEV FOUNDATION

CONTEMPORARY DANCE AWARD, offered by MINERVA KUNSTSTIFTUNG

BEST SWISS CANDIDATE AWARD, offered by ANONYMOUS DONATION

AUDIENCE FAVOURITE AWARD

WEB AUDIENCE AWARD – co-organised with ARTE CONCERT

BEAULIEU AWARD, offered by BEAULIEU SA

Finalist Award

Finalists who have not been awarded any prize receive the Finalist Award (a sum of CHF 1’000.-) offered by Bobst SA.

Networking Forum

On Sunday, 4 February, the candidates will have the opportunity to participate in the Networking Forum to meet with some of the representatives of the Prix de Lausanne Partner Schools and Companies. Therefore, the Networking Forum makes the competition worthwhile for all participants, allowing 90 percent of the candidates to get contracts each year.

Live-streaming

This year, the daily sessions – almost 7 hours live per day – and the selections have been watched more than 375 000 times on ARTE Concert, YouTube, Facebook as well as on the Prix de Lausanne website. The Selections and Finals were also streamed in China and commented by Zhiyao Zhang (Prize Winner, Prix de Lausanne 2011)

Poring through building codes, applying for permits, and choosing interior finishes isn’t what artistic directors usually do. But Whim W’Him’s Olivier Wevers has been doing that and more while renovating what was formerly a church into the Whim W’Him Contemporary Dance Center in Seattle. With approximately 15,000 square feet, it is one of the largest company-owned centers for contemporary dance in Washington. “I dreamt of a sanctuary for contemporary dance,” says Wevers, “a space with high ceilings and no poles or posts, conventional but practical. And that dream now breathes within these walls.” 

Whim W’Him had been looking for studios—roomy, open spaces in a good location—to lease since before the pandemic. But with the costs of state-of-the-art flooring, lighting, and sound systems easily totaling over $140,000, Wevers says, “investing in a space you don’t own seems very perilous.” When the company began looking to buy, a church was an obvious choice. In addition to the architectural benefits, “many churches were on the market after the pandemic,” Wevers says, “and they’re also in family neighborhoods that would attract students” to Whim W’Him’s school. 

The new building also boasts a school for all ages and abilities with contemporary, improvisation, hip hop, repertory, and body therapies among the initial class offerings. “It’s about dance for all ages, all levels,” Wevers says. “Dance for all without a professional hook.” Wevers also plans to offer highly subsidized or free space for local artists, as well as full scholarships for BIPOC dancers to classes and programs.

The center is an impressive accomplishment for a relatively­ small and relatively new independent contemporary dance company—but maybe not all that surprising given the consistency with which Whim W’Him has made new work and carved out an artistic niche in Seattle. Wevers, who celebrates 25 years as a choreographer this year, enjoyed a huge following as a Pacific Northwest Ballet principal before starting his own company. Since its 2009 founding, Whim W’Him has premiered 88 pieces and commissioned 45 guest choreographers in just 14 seasons, including an entirely virtual 2020–21 season that was successful enough to ensure increases in dancer salaries and benefits at a time when pandemic mitigations left most companies facing significant financial challenges.

Reaching this point “took years of consistent work,” says Wevers, “proving we could maintain our core mission of creativity as well as our ideal of elevating standards of company care for better ethical contemporary dance employment.”

Whim W’Him’s track record has helped its fundraising efforts for the center. To fund the purchase and remodel, the company received a hefty loan from an anonymous donor and a gift of $250,000 from the Jolene McCaw Family Foundation, as well as good financing. A Fall Fete early this season saw 200 people contribute over $250,000. The company has also encouraged smaller gifts through its “Butterfly Effect” capital campaign, through which donors can fund specific line items, like mirror installation, one square foot of flooring, or a single lightbulb (the cheapest option, at $6), “making it fun and affordable for everyone to participate,” says Wevers.

The first event in the completed building happens this month—an open house that will feature free community classes, workshops, performances, lectures, and building tours. Before then, “the company was just camping—the building still looked very much like a church, complete with a choir balcony and dais,” says Wevers. “Now, it’s a world-class center for dance.” 

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ANNOUNCES 2024 – 25 SEASON

• BLACK SABBATH – THE BALLET IN ROTTERDAM JUNE 2024 PRESENTED BY HOLLAND DANCE FESTIVAL 
• THE MAIN COMPANY TO PERFORM CARLOS ACOSTA’S CLASSICAL SELECTION IN ICELAND SUMMER 2024
• AUTUMN SEASON BEGINS WITH LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE AS PART OF 24-28 ASHTON WORLDWIDE FESTIVAL
• WORLD PREMIERE OF THE THIRD PART OF THE BIRMINGHAM TRILOGY, LUNA, FEATURING AN ALL-FEMALE CREATIVE TEAM
• THE NUTCRACKER RETURNS TO BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME AND THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
• SPRING 2025 UK TOUR OF SIR DAVID BINTLEY’S CINDERELLA
• BRB2’S THIRD UK TOUR TO FEATURE AN ALL-NEW PROGRAMME FOR SPRING 2025

Today, announcing Birmingham Royal Ballet ‘s 2024 – 25 Season, the company’s Director Carlos Acosta said: ‘I am so happy to be able to share our plans for the future with everyone. Still riding high from the successes of the autumn/winter 2023 season, we have a lot to celebrate, but we also keep moving forward, keep challenging ourselves and keep aiming high, in terms of our goals and ambitions. Everyone at BRB has worked incredibly hard to ensure my vision for this company has been, and continues to be, realised, and I am very proud of our achievements and excited about our plans. This Season exemplifies the importance of balancing the creation of platforms for emerging talents to shine, alongside the joy we bring to the classical canon of work that the Company is so proud to perform.’

Fresh from the sell-out success in Birmingham, Plymouth and London, Black Sabbath – The Ballet has had a raft of international interest. The European premiere will be at the Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam, presented by Holland Dance Festival (13 – 15 June) and we are already in advanced talks about touring Black Sabbath – The Ballet to the USA in summer 2025.

In summer 2024, the Company will make its first-ever visit to Iceland to perform Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection in Reykjavik.

The autumn season begins at Birmingham Hippodrome (25 – 28 September) where BRB presents Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée, its Founder Choreographer’s most popular ballet. This is the first time La Fille mal gardée has been presented by BRB under the directorship of Carlos Acosta, who, for many, is one of the definitive interpreters of Colas in this sunny, effervescent ballet. The production will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal (10 – 13 October) and Sadler’s Wells London (24 – 25 October) and is part of the official 2024-28 Ashton Worldwide Festival. Additional BRB events programmed as part of the Festival include A Celebration of Ashton in February 2025, and a special Ashton Foundation ‘Insight’ masterclass, featuring Carlos Acosta and Sandra Madgwick coaching BRB dancers in the roles of Colas and Lise on 30  April 2024 at Elmhurst Ballet School.

Also this autumn, BRB presents the World Premiere of Luna, a 2-act (full-length), abstract ballet in six movements, which forms the final part of Carlos’s Birmingham Trilogy (City of a Thousand Trades + Black Sabbath + Luna). This new work is inspired by the pioneering and socially enterprising women of Birmingham who have contributed to the shape of the city that Birmingham Royal Ballet calls home. Drawing inspiration from the book Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dare to Dream by Louise Palfreyman, it features an all-female, international creative team, including Choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma (Netherlands); Seeta Patel (UK); Arielle Smith (UK); Thais Suárez (Cuba); with music composed by Kate Whitley (UK). Costume Design is by Imaan Ashraf,Projection Design by Hayley Egan and Lighting Design by Emma Jones. The creative team will explore contemporary universal themes including matriarchal roles in society, education, female empowerment, overcoming adversity, and community. The World Premiere will be at Birmingham Hippodrome (3-5 October) before it has its London premiere at Sadler’s Wells (22-23 October).

Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker was his gift to the City of Birmingham when Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet moved to the city in 1990 and it remains one of the world’s most spectacular presentations of this festive tale. After breaking all previous box office records in the Birmingham 2023 run, this year will see the first-ever Relaxed performance at Birmingham Hippodrome, which will bring this story to life for children and young people normally unable to attend theatre productions of this scale (1pm, Tue 3 Dec). The Nutcracker’s Birmingham run begins on 22 November playing through to 14 December. The Royal Albert Hall spectacular presentation of The Nutcracker returns this year (29 – 31 December 2024).

The 2025 Spring UK Tour will be Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella, one of BRB’s most popular ballets. With sumptuous sets and costumes by John MacFarlane, virtuoso dance and some of ballet’s most memorable coups de theatre, Cinderella continues to thrill audiences across the world with one of the largest UK touring productions. One of BRB’s most in-demand ballets, Cinderella opens at the Mayflower Southampton (6 – 8 February) before travelling to Birmingham Hippodrome (19 – 29 February), The Lowry Salford (6 – 8 March), Sunderland Empire (13 – 15 March), Bristol Hippodrome (27 – 29 March), and finally Plymouth Theatre Royal (9 – 12 April). 

Spring 2025 will see the third BRB2 UK tour, this time featuring an all-new programme, to be announced. BRB2 has attracted a wealth of international talent to the company already. These future stars have already made their mark within the company and, as the 2-year initiative approaches its first conclusion, all eyes are on what these talented young dancers will do next. Watch this space.

Birmingham Royal Ballet Listings Information (UK only)

Please note, on-sale dates vary across the season. 

Please check BRB’s website for details.

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2024

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La Fille mal gardée

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Choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton

Composer Ferdinand Herold (Arr. John Lanchbery)

Design Osbert Lancaster

25 – 28 September Birmingham HIppodrome (PN 25/9)

10 – 13 October Theatre Royal Plymouth

24 – 25 October Sadler’s Wells London (PN 25/10)

Luna

Choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma (Netherlands); Seeta Patel (UK); Arielle Smith (UK); Thais Suárez (Cuba) 

With music composed by Kate Whitley (UK). 
Costume Design Imaan Ashraf (UK)

Projection Design Hayley Egan (UK)

Lighting Design Emma Jones (UK)

3 – 5 October Birmingham Hippodrome (PN 3/10)

22 – 23 October Sadler’s Wells London (PN 23/10)

The Nutcracker

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Choreography Sir Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon

Production Sir Peter Wright

Composer Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Design John Macfarlane

22 November – 14 December Birmingham Hippodrome (PN 22 Nov)

3 Dec (1pm) Relaxed performance 

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The Nutcracker

Choreography Sir Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon

Additional choreography Sir David Bintley, Marion Tait

Production Sir David Bintley

Composer Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky

Costumes & props John Macfarlane

Settings & additional props Dick Bird

Lighting Peter Teigen

Projection Designs 59 Productions

29 – 31 December Royal Albert Hall (PN 29/12)

2025

Cinderella

Choreographer Sir David Bintley

Composer Sergei Prokofiev

Design John Macfarlane

6 – 8 February Mayflower Southampton (PN 6/2)

19 – 29 February Birmingham Hippodrome  (PN 19/2)

6 – 8 March The Lowry Salford 

13 – 15 March Sunderland Empire 

27 – 29 March Bristol Hippodrome

9 – 12 April Theatre Royal Plymouth

New research is tackling the health literacy of Australian dancers in a bid to lessen the soaring rates of career-altering injury. While dance remains one of the most popular recreational sports for young people in Australia, participation declines steadily with age, and dance injury is often to blame. 

Injury and health are key concerns for the dance sector, especially as many dancers stretch themselves across various styles that challenge their original training. Professor Emma Redding, Director of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), has called for dancers to be seen more as artist-athletes. 

‘Two national studies in the UK showed that up to 83% of dancers are injured in any 12 months,’ Redding explains.

University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) Dr Melanie Fuller, a musculoskeletal physiotherapist and researcher investigating injury reduction in dance, is leading research to learn what health information those in the dance community require and how they want to receive it. 

The new research, headed by Fuller, deliberately targets dancers outside the professional sector. The survey, run by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), invites non-professional and recreational dancers of all forms, parents and guardians of dancers under 18, and dance teachers to participate.

‘We hope to understand the best way to provide education to improve health literacy in the dance community at a grassroots level to promote a lifetime of dance participation for physical activity, optimisation of health and performance, and reduction of injuries,’ says Fuller.

Examination of early and recreational training could influence training for future dancers.

The cost of dance injury

Nadine Sayers, Principal at Sayers Dance Centre in Kenmore, Brisbane, says that rates of injury in young dancers are at an all-time high.

‘In my 40 years of teaching,’ says Sayers, ‘injury is definitely more common now than ever before. Personally, I feel the nutrition is lacking. Bone density and muscles aren’t as strong. That leads to fatigue, and fatigue leads to injuries.’ 

For many, these injuries halt a career in dance before it has begun. This is possibly true for young dancers like Elana Griffiths, who took nine months off from training due to a stress fracture in her spine. ‘That’s put me more than a year behind of where I feel like I could have been,’ she says. ‘My injuries over the years have forced me to rethink my future career in dance.’

Sayers says it’s ‘heartbreaking’ to watch hard-working students suffer and take substantial breaks from training. Recovery takes a great deal of resilience and determination. Fortunately, Griffiths has that in spades. ‘I like to prove people wrong,’ she says, ‘and I have.’ 

A link between dance injury and training

The new research has evolved as part of a working group from the Dance Research Collaborative that focuses on dance-related research in health, education, performance, injury and epidemiology.

While injury and health services are an accepted part of career development for professional companies, the group has identified a lack of essential services at the pre-professional level.

‘Access to high-quality dance-specific health services can be limited [at that stage],’ says Fuller. ‘Improving knowledge in dance health may assist with injury management and better recognition of psychological concerns in the dance community.’

This is in line with previous findings from VCA’s Emma Redding. Music and dance training are often handed down through generations, which means ‘the way in which dancers are taught is based primarily on anecdotal evidence, teacher wisdom and experience,’ says Redding. 

Accordingly, the new survey targets pre-professional dancers, their parents and teachers to garner information on overall health literacy and health services. Fuller is clear that a holistic approach to health is required, including the consideration of dancers’ mental health.

Dance injury and mental health

Studies on the mental health of dancers are growing. A 2021 study found that more than half of dancers identify struggling with mental health, but more research is required. There are links between dance injuries and rates of depression and anxiety. Eating disorders are also higher among professional dancers than in the general population.

However, a 2023 review of contemporary studies found significant research gaps. The review found a lack of applied interventions in preventing mental health issues. Mid-career dancers are also under-represented in research, while research into classical ballet is over-represented. ‘Different dance styles and freelance employment are in dire need of in-depth investigation,’ researchers Michelle Schachtler Dwarika and Heidi Marian Haraldsen stated in their review.

For young dancers like Griffiths, dancing is a vital part of their identity. ‘It’s why I get up in the morning,’ she says. Her injuries have been tough ‘emotionally, mentally and physically,’ she adds. ‘But there’s no other place I’d rather be than in the studio.’ 

Like many dancers, Griffiths doesn’t see the art form as inherently damaging to her mental health. One of the main reasons she returns to the studio is its positive effect on her physical and mental well-being.

It’s clear to anyone inside the industry that there is a sophisticated relationship between dancers’ mental health, training and overall health literacy and access to services. This latest survey will contribute to the growing knowledge around that relationship. 

‘The dance community is very passionate,’ Fuller concludes. ‘This team of researchers love this art form and are motivated to provide high-quality health information to keep dancers healthy and dancing at their best for longer.’ 

The Royal Ballet School and Dance Base Scotland will work together to deliver a wealth of dance opportunities for young people, aspiring dancers and dance professionals.

With this new partnership, The Royal Ballet School and Dance Base will collaborate to deliver the highest-quality Royal Ballet School programmes in Scotland, including for children trying dance for the first time, dance students who want to train at a recreational or pre-vocational level and those who wish to teach dance in various settings. These programmes will all take place within Dance Base’s award-winning studios in central Edinburgh. 

The Royal Ballet School and Dance Base are both committed to widening access to dance, whether as an art form, a potential career, a way to exercise, or simply for enjoyment. As charities, each organisation works to offer opportunities for people to engage with dance, regardless of their experience, background or means. Both organisations also work to raise awareness of and promote the benefits of dance for everyone, and so this new partnership is an obvious and exciting opportunity for all.

Christopher Powney, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet School, said:

‘Dance Base, as Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, is the perfect partner for the School. We share a mission to open up the dance world to as many people as possible. With our expertise as a world leader in classical ballet training and Dance Base’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the region, I’m excited to see what we can achieve together.’

Jim Hollington, Chief Executive at Dance Base, said:

‘We are delighted to welcome The Royal Ballet School to our studios and to partner with them to host their Regional Training Hub for Scotland and the North of England. With our world-class facilities, we’re the natural home for this opportunity. The partnership really complements our existing activity with the community and professional dance artists, and we’re excited to see how the collaboration will develop for us and the broader dance sector in Scotland.’ 

Carol Dray, The Royal Ballet School’s Commercial Director, added:

‘As a charity and in increasingly tough times, we are delighted to have formed a partnership with Dance Base, who match our ambition to widen access to dance in regional centres sustainably and with the opportunity for growth.’ 

The Royal Ballet School has delivered its Associate Programme, for gifted young dancers considering further training or a dance career, in centres across the UK since the 1980s. It currently has nine centres in England and Scotland. 

The School will now expand this work by creating regional training hub partnerships in these centres and new locations that are easily accessible so that more people can engage with and experience dance. The School will establish hubs in the UK, with worldwide hubs to follow soon.

The Royal Ballet School’s partnership with Dance Base is based on the two organisations’ shared values of accessibility and inclusion and their complementary knowledge and experience. Established in 1926, the School brings to the partnership nearly 100 years of delivering excellence in dancer and dance teacher training. The School also brings its commitment to empowering dance teachers and professionals to create nurturing studio environments and take a student-centred approach, ensuring all dance students feel supported and able to express themselves.

The partnership will benefit from Dance Base’s local knowledge and standing in the community, its connections across the Scottish dance industry and beyond, and its reputation as an inclusive centre where all are welcome to explore their relationship with dance. Dance Base also offers world-class studios and an inspiring environment in which to dance.

 
The partnership will commence with an Insight class on 18 February, a class for keen dancers aged 7-10 who may be interested in joining the School’s Associate programme, followed by a recreational dance workshop for dance students aged 8-11 and dance teachers on 3 March.  The School will deliver its full Junior and Mid Associate programmes at Dance Base from September 2024.

A 67-year-old woman, the mother of a dancer, was sentenced yesterday to two years by the court in Rome for a defamation case brought by Eleonora Abbagnato against the author of anonymous letters.

Abbagnato, director of the Rome Opera Ballet and former étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet, was attacked in the letters, accusing her of favouring some dancers at the expense of others.

The defendant, Giulia Di Stasi, who pleaded not guilty, wrote the letters in 2016. In one of them, she asked the Opera House's management to take action against Abbagnato: “This damn woman uses the company for her own purposes. Send her away now! Together with her business partner, they have planned to kill off the corps de ballet and create a company of their own.”

In other letters Abbagnato was called ‘incompetent' and a ‘fake blonde'.

Abbagnato filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome requesting an investigation to trace the identity of the anonymous sender. The breakthrough in the investigation came when the Italian dance entrepreneur Daniele Cipriani recognised the handwriting of the first letter and linked it to the mother of a dancer who had complained to him in the past about Eleonora Abbagnato's treatment of her daughter – it was identical to that on the labels of the jam jars that Di Stasi had prepared and given to everyone in the theatre. Forensic examination confirmed his hunch and led to yesterday's conviction.

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.

Related

The National Ballet of Canada Angels’ Atlas & Emma Bovary February 1 – 3
Casting Announced

Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the company will return to National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa for its annual appearance February 1 – 3. The company will perform a brilliant double bill of works specifically created for the National Ballet by female choreographers. The award-winningAngels’ Atlas by Crystal Pitepremiered in 2020 and was originally scheduled to tour to Ottawa in 2022 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. Helen Pickett’s Emma Bovary made its world premiere in November at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto. 

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to share the two very distinct voices of choreographers, Crystal Pite and Helen Pickett, with our Ottawa audiences,” said Muir. “This double bill is of great significance for our company as both pieces were created on our artists and represent two very marked choreographic choices, one abstract and one narrative.” 

A profound work that explores the ephemerality of existence, Angels’ Atlas is set to original music by Owen Belton, choral work by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Morten Lauridsen. Unfolding against a morphing wall of light, created by designers Jay Gower Taylor and Tom Visser, the Globe and Mail called Angels’ Atlas “a glimpse into the infinite” and the Toronto Star added “human yearning is evoked powerfully onstage”. 

Emma Bovary is a riveting exploration of one of literature’s most intriguing female characters, Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, told through the eyes of Emma herself, and is a powerful new ballet hailed “a feast for the senses… Emma Bovaryis a masterpiece” by My Entertainment World. Emma Bovaryis directed by award-winning director James Bonas, featuring an original score by Peter Salem, sets and costumes by Michael Gianfrancesco, lighting by Bonnie Beecher, projection design by Anouar Brissel and animation by Grégoire Pont.  

The National Ballet of Canada Casting   

Emma Bovary  

Emma Bovary  
Heather Ogden (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm)  
Jenna Savella (February 3 at 8:00 pm) 

Charles Bovary, Emma’s Husband  
Josh Hall (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Donald Thom (February 3 at 8:00 pm) 

Madame Bovary, Emma’s Mother-in-Law  
Chelsy Meiss (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Alexandra MacDonald (February 3 at 8:00 pm) 

Rodolphe Boulanger, Emma’s Lover  
Christopher Gerty (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Harrison James (February 3 at 8:00 pm)   

Monsieur Lheureux, Fancy Goods Salesman  
Spencer Hack (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Kota Sato (February 3 at 8:00 pm) 

Angels’ Atlas    

Heather Ogden and Harrison James(February 1 and 3 at 8:00 pm) 
Svetlana Lunkina and Ben Rudisin(February 2 at 8:00 pm) 

Jordana Daumec and Spencer Hack (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Chelsy Meiss and Donald Thom(February 3 at 8:00 pm)   

Hannah Galway and Siphesihle November (February 1, 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Hannah Galway and Spencer Hack(February 3 at 8:00 pm) 

Alexandra MacDonald (February 1, 2, 3 at 8:00 pm) 

Spencer Hack and Donald Thom(February 1 at 8:00 pm) 
Spencer Hack and Kota Sato(February 2 at 8:00 pm) 
Kota Sato and Donald Thom(February 3 at 8:00 pm) 

The English-Speaking Company 2023/2024 Season Programming Report represents the first-ever study examining season programming at ballet and classically influenced companies outside the United States.

“This report signifies a substantial expansion in the scope of our research, building upon insights from our previous international work, including the Global Leadership Report 2023 and the Global Resident Choreographers 2023 Data Byte,” said DDP Chief External Affairs Officer Isabelle Ramey. “The international dance industry is becoming increasingly interconnected. Artistic director searches reach across the globe, choreographers frequently work across country lines, and dancers relocate to entirely new time zones to pursue opportunities.”

This report focuses on 33 well-known companies from English-speaking regions including Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, the Philippines, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales), Singapore, and South Africa. The report analyzes works presented in the current 2023/2024 performance season.

Among the 33 global companies studied, 23.6% of works in the 2023/2024 season are choreographed by women. “Again, we see the disparity of choreographic opportunities for men and women, this time on the international scale,” said DDP Founder & President Elizabeth ‘Liza’ Yntema. “The persistent lack of gender equity is not isolated to the United States, highlighting the need for research organizations like Dance Data Project® to assess classical dance throughout the world.”

When comparing companies based on geographic region, the two South African classically-based companies studied presented the highest percentage of works by women, with women choreographing 100.0% of the works recorded. Asian countries presented the least, with only 8.9% of works choreographed by women. 29.2% of works by Australian & New Zealand companies, 26.0% of works by Irish & UK companies, and 22.5% of works by Canadian companies were choreographed by women.

 “By comparison, the Largest 10 U.S. ballet companies – (which are of similar size and influence to the biggest classical dance companies reviewed in this report) programmed just 14.9% of works choreographed by women in the recent 2022/2023 season. Within the Largest 50 U.S. ballet companies, 22.9% of works for the 2022/2023 season (our most up to date data set) were choreographed by women.”

DDP Research Lead Jenna Magrath

Similar to previous U.S. findings, women continue to receive fewer opportunities to create full-length works than their male peers, internationally. This report found that only 14.1% of full-length works were choreographed by women globally for the current season, compared to 76.5% by men. For comparison: DDP’s most recent United States programming report found that, within the Largest 10, no full-length works by women were programmed for the 2022/2023 season. Within the Largest 50, for the same performance season, 25.0% of full-length world premieres were by women.

There are encouraging findings regarding the creation of new works: women choreographed 40.3% of world premieres among companies surveyed. In Ireland and the UK, 54.2% of world premieres were by women. In Australia & New Zealand, 45.5% of world premieres were by women. Of world premieres at Canadian and Asian companies, 23.8% and 20.0% respectively were by women. Compared to the U.S., 33.8% of world premieres by the Largest 10 U.S. companies and 40.6% within the Largest 50 were choreographed by women in the 2022/2023 season.

The English Speaking Company 2023/2024 Season Programming Report is available by download below.

• FOLLOWING A NEARLY 30 YEAR HIATUS, LONDON CITY BALLET WILL RETURN TO ITS FORMER HOME AT SADLER’S WELLS FROM 11-14 SEPTEMBER

• INTERNATIONALLY CELEBRATED BALLERINA ALINA COJOCARU WILL JOIN THE COMPANY AS A GUEST ARTIST

The London City Ballet has today announced a return to Sadler’s Wells from 11-14 September.

After a hiatus of almost 30 years, the international company of dancers will present a programme of acclaimed works including the revival of Kenneth MacMillan’s 1972 one-act ballet Ballade, unseen in Europe for over 50 years, featuring internationally celebrated ballerina Alina Cojocaru as a guest artist for the Sadler’s Wells season.

Ashley Page’s Larina Waltz marks the ballet’s 30th anniversary, and Olivier award-winner Arielle Smith premiere’s a new work. Eve, a full company work by Christopher Marney, which premiered at Sadler’s Wells in 2022 will close the evening. At selected venues on the company’s international tour the pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillan‘s Concerto will also be performed.

The comeback performances in 2024 pay homage to the Company’s roots in the form of rarely-seen archival footage. Artistic Director Christopher Marney has spent two years rebuilding London City Ballet with historical insights from its early pioneers.

Full details of London City Ballet’s tour this year, including international dates, will be announced soon.

SADLERS WELLS 2024 PERFORMANCES:

Wed 11^th Sept: 7:30pm

Thurs 12^th Sept: 7:30pm

Fri 13^th Sept: 7:30pm

Saturday 14^th: 2:30 & 7:30pm.

Tickets: £15 – £65