Culture news

Paris Opera appoints Guillaume Diop first black star dancer

The 23-year-old has made history after being appointed Paris Opera's first black Étoile (star) dancer.

20/03/2023

Earth News

Watch as ballet dancers twirl amid ‘celestial’ plastic waste set

Japan's K-Ballet troupe is highlighting the plastic waste problem in its latest performance.

28/01/2023

Culture news

Meet Nobuhiro Terada: the Ukrainian National Ballet's new director

The National Ukrainian Ballet appointed its first Japanese artistic director last month, before embarking on a tour of Japan

02/01/2023

Culture news

Dancers delight backstage for World Ballet Day

Learn about what goes into putting on a world-class ballet production with Europe's top companies for World Ballet Day.

02/11/2022

Culture news

Ukraine's ballet dancers perform in London to raise humanitarian funds

Ukraine ballet dancers perform Giselle in London to raise funds for humanitarian efforts

17/09/2022

Art

Former Daft Punk member goes from electronic dance to classical

One half of Daft Punk is back but this time it's classical as Thomas Bangalter composes his first piece for a symphony orchestra

03/07/2022

Culture news

Émigré Bolshoi Ballet star: I followed my conscience leaving Russia

Olga Smirnova, 30, caused an earthquake in the dance world when she left the Moscow institution in March over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now, she says, she fears for Russian performers who will be isolated for years to come

19/05/2022

Culture news

Ballet for Peace unites Ukrainian and Russian dancers in Naples

Among the stars at the event was prima ballerina Olga Smirnova, who quit the Bolshoi last month and is now dancing with the Dutch National Ballet.

05/04/2022

Culture news

Bolshoi star Olga Smirnova quits Russian troupe over Ukraine invasion

"My grandfather is Ukrainian, and I am a quarter Ukrainian," the ballerina said on Telegram.

16/03/2022

Art

Kyiv City Ballet find safe haven in French capital

One of the dancers will be headed to the Ukrainian border in the coming days to pick up her young daughter who was accompanied out of the country.

09/03/2022

Culture news

Dancers resign from Russian Bolshoi ballet over Ukraine

The pair, who are Italian and Brazilian nationals, cite the war in Ukraine as they exit the Russian cultural institution.

08/03/2022

Culture news

Cancelled culture: who's putting Russia in a cultural blackout?

As the world watches the disaster unfolding in Ukraine culture has become a 21st century frontier, let's look at who's cancelling culture for Russia.

07/03/2022

Culture news

Kyiv Grand Ballet give emotional final performance of French tour

After two months of touring in France, the Kyiv Grand Ballet put on Swan Lake for the last time, at a time of great tragedy for their home country, Ukraine

03/03/2022

Culture news

Two more British cultural institutions cut ties with BP

'The tide is turning' as more British cultural institutions cut ties with BP. This week the National Portrait Gallery and Scottish Ballet said they're ending their sponsorship deals over fossil fuel concerns.

23/02/2022

Moments

Tchaikovsky’s iconic Nutcracker ballet delights audiences in Moscow

Because of COVID, the Bolshoi Theatre limited audience capacity to 70%, but those in the house seemed to love what they saw.

29/12/2021

Italy

La Scala delays ballet season opener due to COVID outbreak

Italy’s La Scala has postponed its ballet season premiere after a coronavirus outbreak in its ranks.

11/12/2021

Scenes

The ballet dancer inspiring children living in Kenya’s slum

In partnership with Media City

"Everybody deserves the right to dance. Everybody deserves the right to be who they are. Ballet was made for the elite because it needed to divide people, but dance is something that is meant to unite."

06/12/2021

Art

World's first NFT ballet set to go on sale

London Royal Ballet's prima ballerina will star in pieces set to go on auction for £50,000.

29/11/2021

World

Socially distanced tutus

Birmingham Royal Ballet creates huge tutus to ensure dancers stay socially distanced

30/10/2020

Russia

Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre reopens after six month coronvirus lockdown

The theatre kicked off its 245th season to a mask-wearing half-empty auditorium with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlo”.

07/09/2020