BALLET CENTRAL is back on tour this summer with an exciting programme showcasing the extraordinary talent of Central School of Ballet’s graduating class of 2025, the future stars of dance.
Bringing fresh dance to national audiences for over 40 years, the show will play at The Britten Theatre in London on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July, as part of a UK tour.
https://www.rcm.ac.uk/events/chooseseats/?WebInstanceId=BalletCentral17Jul
This year’s company is made up of 38 young dancers, many of whom will make their debut on a professional stage.
The Ballet Central Tour is the perfect introduction to dance for audiences of all ages.
This year’s repertoire sees heritage meet cutting edge, combining classical ballet from Frederick Ashton with a restaged Foyer de danse, as well as an ultra-contemporary innovative creation from Dickson Mbi, a post-apocalyptic world populated by the Kardashians from Thick & Tight and a new ballet from Kristen McNally.
The mixed programme has been expertly commissioned by Kate Coyne, Artistic Director of the world-renowned ballet school.
The Ballet Central Tour 2025 will feature Frederick Ashton’s majestic Foyer de danse, reconstructed and staged by Ursula Hageli, on behalf of The Frederick Ashton Foundation. Staged for the first time in over 90 years, Ashton’s ballet brings Edgar Degas paintings and pastels of Paris Opera Ballet dancers to life.
In contrast, Ballet Central presents two newly commissioned contemporary works from Dickson Mbi and creative duo Thick & Tight. Vastly energetic, Dickson Mbi’s piece explores the practises of ritual and shared human experience, striving to shine a light on what is next to come. Presenting a new generation of dancers in this fast-evolving artistic world, Dickson Mbi’s piece depicts the energetic ambition and perseverance required to pave new pathways in dance theatre and performance.
Thick & Tight’s theatrical work Keeping Up with the Apocalypse – set to John Adam’s Nixon In China – combines dance, theatre and mime, whilst adopting a humorous commentary on social and political affairs. Set years ahead in the future of planet Earth only one species remains, thriving in a desolate post-apocalyptic landscape. The Kardashians! Famous for being famous and living on money alone, they dominate a decimated planet.
The fourth piece in this vibrant programme is Kristen McNally’s modern ballet FEAST with a glorious new musical composition by Central’s Tabor Music Director, Philip Feeney. Principal Character Artist of the Royal Ballet, McNally’s vibrant piece allows the audience to catch a glimpse of a colourful community where conversation is punctuated and interactions explode with character.
Ballet Central was created in 1984 as the touring company of Central School of Ballet to give Central’s graduating students the opportunity of professional performance experience.
The programme is formed around Ballet Central’s relationships with leading choreographers and provides the opportunity for students to experience performance in front of a ticket-buying audience.
Central School of Ballet is the only professional dance training school in the UK providing touring experience on such a scale.
Populated by the final year students of the BA (Hons) Professional Dance & Performance degree, joining the Ballet Central company forms a core part of the degree course and, most importantly, supports graduate employment.
Ballet Central graduates go on to dance in companies including English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Scottish Ballet, Ballet Black and Rambert Dance Company, as well as international dance companies across the globe.
