Happy World Ballet Day 2022!
Today is World Ballet Day 2022 so it is time to enjoy watching a full day of dance, live-streamed for free from six continents.
The world’s most exciting online ballet event is back for its ninth year! This is going to be the biggest celebration yet as over 60 ballet companies from all over the world will provide rare access to their classes and rehearsals. There will also be engaging discussions, interviews and behind-the-scenes exclusives.
Organised by The Australian Ballet and The Royal Ballet, World Ballet Day 2022 follows on from the success of last year, which saw over 50 companies take part. The line-up of participating companies includes 14 that are joining in for the very first time this year. As always, the day promises to showcase the very best of ballet by honouring its long history and looking forward to its vibrant future.
Expect to be wowed by ballet’s biggest stars, inspired by the dedication of up-and-coming performers and motivated to get dancing yourself.
World Ballet Day Duet
Each year, everyone is encouraged to get involved in World Ballet Day by sharing their own photographs, videos and thoughts online.
This year, fans of all ages are invited to participate in the World Ballet Day Duet by sharing a video of themselves performing a piece of choreography inspired by the Rose Adage from The Sleeping Beauty. This section of the fairytale ballet portrays Princess Aurora blossoming into adulthood at her joyful sixteenth birthday party. As demonstrated by Royal Ballet principal Anna Rose O’Sullivan, lively running steps (bourrées or courus) performed on the spot depict the giddy excitement of childhood, while the graceful movements of the upper body (port de bras) represent an emerging maturity.
No ballet experience is necessary to get involved – simply adapt the choreography so that you can dance alongside Anna Rose in a way that works for you. Just have fun with it! Content should be shared on social media using #WorldBalletDay for a chance to be featured on the official livestream.
Participating companies:
Note that this list is subject to change
(* indicates joining for the first time)
Africa
Cape Town City Ballet
Joburg Ballet
Asia
Ballet Indonesia Foundation
Bangkok City Ballet
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Hong Kong Ballet
Korean National Ballet
The National Ballet of Japan
Singapore Dance Theatre
Universal Ballet
North America
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
American Ballet Theatre
Ballet Arkansas*
Ballet Idaho*
Ballet West*
Ballet West Academy*
BalletX
Boston Ballet
Houston Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet*
Kansas City Ballet*
Miami City Ballet*
The National Ballet of Canada
Oregon Ballet Theatre*
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Philadelphia Ballet*
San Francisco Ballet
The Sarasota Ballet*
Smuin Ballet*
Texas Ballet Theatre*
The Washington Ballet*
Central and South America
Acosta Danza
Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico
Ballet Nacional de Cuba
São Paulo Dance Company
Europe
Ballet de Barcelona
Ballet de l’Opera de Paris
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo*
Bayerisches Staatsballett
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Dutch National Ballet
English National Ballet
Estonian National Ballet
Finnish National Ballet
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD)
Northern Ballet
The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
Opera Sofia
Polish National Ballet
The Royal Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Swedish Ballet
La Scala Theatre Ballet
Scottish Ballet
Staatsballet Berlin
Stuttgart Ballet
Wiener Staatsballett
Oceania
The Australian Ballet
Queensland Ballet
Royal New Zealand Ballet
West Australian Ballet
Celebrate World Ballet Day 2022
World Ballet Day 2022 is being live-streamed via each participating company’s YouTube channel or Facebook page and will be available on demand afterwards too. There will also be exclusive content on TikTok.
Watch the entire online event live by visiting the World Ballet Day website.
Use the hashtag #WorldBalletDay on social media to share the joy of ballet and show off your interpretation of the choreography from The Sleeping Beauty for the World Ballet Day Duet.
*Featured photographs are of Anna Rose O’Sullivan (principal dancer of The Royal Ballet) in rehearsal. Photography by Andrej Uspenski.
Georgina Butler is an editor, a dance writer and a ballet teacher.
