The Royal Ballet School will mark a historic moment by opening its Covent Garden studios to the public for the first time in its 99-year history. On Sunday 2 March, the School joins the inaugural Let's Dance initiative, a nationwide campaign championing dance as a transformative force for physical and mental wellbeing.
This groundbreaking open day offers the public unprecedented access to classes led by the School's distinguished teaching staff, including Artistic Director Iain Mackay. From 11.00 to 16.00, visitors can participate in ballet, contemporary, character, and mime and gesture classes, with each session running 30-40 minutes.
The event supports Let's Dance, a national campaign spearheaded by Angela Rippon CBE and backed by organizations including the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the NHS, and Parkinson's UK. The initiative aims to make dance accessible to everyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or prior experience.
During her visit to the School, Angela Rippon CBE shared her vision for Let's Dance:
"Following my time on Strictly Come Dancing, I thought 'how can we all come together and do something that demonstrates to the nation that dance is not just something that you watch for entertainment?' I want to get the nation dancing. I want to show the public that dance is one of the best, if not the best, forms of exercise for your mind and body, and one that you can enjoy -- it ticks every single box."
The Royal Ballet School's Artistic Director Iain Mackay emphasized the School's commitment to this initiative:
"At The Royal Ballet School, we are passionate about widening access and encouraging participation in ballet, so we are very excited to be a part of the first Let's Dance campaign to celebrate the joy of shared movement. We welcome anyone and everyone to come along on Sunday 2 March, no matter your age or ability. If you've never danced before but have always wanted to give it a go, we would love to welcome you into our studios and share the magic of our artform."
Classes are free and open to all, with no previous dance experience required. Bookings are now open at www.royalballetschool.org.uk/lets-dance/
- The School was founded by Dame Ninette de Valois in 1926.
- The Royal Ballet School is one of the world’s most celebrated centres for classical
ballet training. It is the leading classical ballet school in the UK and an international
institution, attracting dancers with exceptional potential from the UK and worldwide. - Former students include greats like Margot Fonteyn, Anya Linden, Kenneth
MacMillan, Lynn Seymour, David Wall, Antoinette Sibley, Anthony Dowell, Marguerite
Porter, Stephen Jefferies, Darcey Bussell and Jonathan Cope. - Former students making their mark now include Matthew Ball, William Bracewell,
Lauren Cuthbertson, Francesca Hayward, Steven McRae, Vadim Muntagirov,
Marianela Nuñez, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Marcelino Sambé, and Christopher
Wheeldon. - Admission to the School is based purely on talent and potential, regardless of
academic ability or personal circumstances. Around 90% of students rely on financial
support to attend the School. - Graduates go on to professional careers with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal
Ballet, and other leading UK and international companies. - The School sets the standard for the future of classical ballet training with its
extensive teacher training programmes. - The School also works to raise awareness of the benefits of dance and create
opportunities for people worldwide to experience and engage with classical ballet,
with dedicated in-person and online programmes for dance students, primary school