The Royal Ballet School Review 3*

The Royal Ballet School displayed its students’ choreographic talent with a packed programme at the Next Generation Festival

The art of choreography is important to The Royal Ballet School. When it was founded by Dame Ninette de Valois in 1926, the School was actually called The Academy of Choreographic Art; and from the very beginning almost a century ago it has encouraged its students to try their hand at dance making.

That the students at all levels of the school have grabbed the opportunity with both hands was evident from the full (I’m avoiding the word ‘crowded’) programme they brought to the Next Generation Festival.

No fewer than 13 short pieces by the students were framed by works from established choreographers: Arielle Smith, Morgan Runacre-Temple, Ruth Brill and Jessica Lang all contributed work to this programme, with Lang’s Sweet Morning Blooms, set to music by Haydn, bringing the first half to an entrancing classical end.

The budding choreographers ranged in age from around 12 to 17/18; their pieces were created on, and danced by colleagues; and before anything else it has to be said that without exception all dancers showed tremendous commitment and professionalism, regardless of age. A few demonstrated thrilling talent and flair, and I hope to see them in the Royal Ballet company before too long.

In an attempt, perhaps, to highlight the collective nature of this show, the programme did not give the names of performers, not even for pieces where they had solos or leading roles. However, I persisted with my inquiries and am happy to be able to single out second year students Nanoha Shigeoka and Wendel Vieira Teles dos Santos in Millán de Benito’s Anima Mea (my notes categorically state ‘stars in the making’), and pre-professional year student Tristan Ian Massa, leading Arielle Smith’s gloriously buoyant, jazzy, life-enhancing Culmination, which ended the show on a high.

But what of the new choreography itself? And indeed the staging, as the students also had significant input into costumes and lighting design?

On the whole I would say the the young choreographers have mastered the art of creating movement, but most don’t yet know how to make it speak.

Well served by colleagues with impeccable schooling – good turnout, some beautiful feet, competent partnering, elegant lines and some of the softest landings heard (or rather not heard) at the Linbury – most of the new pieces were abstract, attempting to modify the basic language of classical ballet to create something new.

Most were very serious in intent and often similar in execution; the ones that really grabbed my attention were the ones that went their merry way, such as the very short The Underground, choreographed by Filippa Deegan to music by John Cage, where a group of commuters find their places in an underground carriage.

And although it will win no prizes for originality, the hugely accomplished, joyful, sweeping Infatuation, riffing on the traditional love pas de deux, was a charming piece by Kanoko Aoyama, sublimely danced by three couples aged 14-16.

A collaboration with Dutch National Ballet Academy resulted in a lively, charming, foot-tapping character number, Tracks Uniting, choreographed by Academy teacher Iva Lešić.

In conclusion, I would say there was much to admire; but I would also admit to being slightly overwhelmed by the sheer quantity on offer. A more selective approach to programming would have helped concentration…

The Royal Ballet School perform at the Next Generation Festival at 24 & 25 June 2025. Returns only. Info here

The Next Generation Festival continues at the RBO Linbury Theatre until 29 June 2025. Info and tickets here

The Royal Ballet School Review 3*

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