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#WorldBalletDay celebrates 10th anniversary

The Royal Ballet's Sumina Sasaki in class during World Ballet Day 2022. Photo by Andrej Uspenski.
The Royal Ballet's Sumina Sasaki in class during World Ballet Day 2022. Photo by Andrej Uspenski.

San Francisco Ballet, The Royal Ballet and The Australian Ballet celebrate a decade of #WorldBalletDay on Wednesday, November 1. They will be joined by over 60 companies from across the globe for a 24-hour celebration of ballet and dance.

#WorldBalletDay has become a much-anticipated annual celebration and showcases the best of global dance, presenting an opportunity for audiences to go behind the scenes of the world’s top ballet companies. The 10-year anniversary program promises to be the biggest ever. #WorldBalletDay is streamed live across YouTube and Facebook, and over the course of the day, audiences can tune in to see classes, rehearsals, and exclusive footage offering glimpses of ballet’s biggest stars and upcoming performers.

This year sees companies participating from across the globe include Cuba-based Acosta Danza, American Ballet Theatre, The National Ballet of Canada, Korean National Ballet, and Joburg Ballet, among many others.

Tamara Rojo, artistic director of San Francisco Ballet, said, “As the oldest professional ballet company in the United States, we’re honoured to partner with The Royal Ballet and The Australian Ballet in this global celebration and the tenth anniversary of World Ballet Day. We’re delighted to be able to give viewers glimpses of the creative processes in real time, and honor ballet as a living art and universal language.”

Kevin O’Hare, director of The Royal Ballet, said, “It’s incredible to think that World Ballet Day is celebrating its 10th anniversary. We can’t wait to reflect on the last decade in dance and look forward to its vibrant future with another fantastic international collaboration. We’re delighted to be partnering with David at The Australian Ballet and Tamara at San Francisco Ballet, together with so many brilliant dancers in companies around the world coming on board to demonstrate the transformative power of dance. We hope all lovers of ballet will join us online.”

David Hallberg, artistic director of The Australian Ballet, said, “For 10 years, World Ballet Day has provided the opportunity to see the beauty of the ballet, expressed through the intimate lens of a camera. It’s a thrill to virtually open our doors once again to share the fantastic work and dedication of our dancers.”

The line-up of participating companies and their respective streaming schedules are being continually updated. Visit worldballetday.com for more.

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