The Royal Ballet's Next Generation Festival of emerging artists from junior companies and dance schools from around the world is at the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House from 31 May to 21 June 2022.
The Festival includes performances by ZooNation Youth Company, Queensland Ballet Jette Parker Young Artists, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers, The Royal Ballet School, Dutch National Ballet Junior Company, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and New English Ballet Theatre.
It opens on 31 May with a world première of Everland by ZooNation Youth Company (ZYC), which explores themes of growing up and the emotional path to adulthood, co-created by ZYC Artistic Director Kendra Horsburgh and the company and set to music by DJ Walde, Music Director of ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company.
Queensland Ballet's Southern Lights is a programme of three new contemporary works by Queensland Ballet’s Associate Choreographer Jack Lister, Resident Choreographer Natalie Weir and Royal New Zealand Ballet's Resident Choreographer Loughlan Prior.
The American Ballet Theatre Studio Company will perform a mixed programme including ballets by Hope Boykin, Jessica Lang and Yannick Lebrun.
The Royal Ballet’s Aud Jebsen Young Dancers, Rambert School, The Royal Ballet School and Dutch National Ballet Junior Company join for a showcase performance that includes a new work, Bloom, choreographed by Milena Sidorova.
New English Ballet Theatre spotlights the work of female choreographers with a mixed programme that includes works by Ruth Brill, Daniela Cardim, Morgan Runacre-Temple and Jenna Lee, Kristen McNally’s dance film I Can’t Dance and a new work by Georgie Rose.
Rambert School's young dancers will perform works by emerging and established choreographers, including former Rambert Artistic Director Christopher Bruce, who restages his work Dancing Day, first performed by students of the school in 1981.
The festival also features two Insights and a Live at Lunch session celebrating the importance of cultural exchange and collaboration. The first Insight in partnership with The British Council and The Australian High Commission features dancers from Queensland Ballet and The Royal Ballet. Live at Lunch features The American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in rehearsal and Taking Shape Insight features choreography by freelance artist Liam Francis, Movement Architect Kendra Horsburgh and Royal Ballet Artist Joshua Junker in rehearsal and conversation.