London City Ballet has been named a core partner in a new initiative from Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO) designed to support emerging artists and the creation of new work across ballet and opera.
The initiative launches two new programmes: The Royal Ballet: FUTUREWORKS, a five-year programme supporting choreographers working in classical ballet, and The Royal Opera: NOW (New Opera Works), a long-term strategy to commission, develop and support new opera.
FUTUREWORKS will provide a consistent infrastructure for choreographers to develop their practice, moving beyond individual commissions toward longer-term investment in talent and artistic growth. The programme will give artists time and space to develop ideas, experiment and create new work, with London City Ballet partnering with The Royal Ballet. Choreographers Wayne McGregor and Pam Tanowitz will lead the programme’s first residential workshops.
“Playing a part in a rising artist’s journey is a profound privilege, and facilitating the growth of emerging choreographers is a deeply held shared ambition between London City Ballet and The Royal Ballet,” said Chris Marney, Artistic Director of London City Ballet. “Discovering new voices and providing a launchpad for nascent dance-makers is crucial to the future development of our art form.”
Marney added, “As a young company, we are incredibly proud to combine resources and uncover innovative ways of enabling these creative voices to speak, shape, and inspire the future of dance.”
Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, said the programme reflects the importance of new choreography to the company and the wider ballet sector.
“New work is an essential ingredient in the artistic identity of all dance companies,” said O’Hare. “We are excited to launch FUTUREWORKS, working across the ballet sector to ensure ample opportunity for the creative vision of choreographers to flourish.”
The initiative builds on RBO’s existing support for emerging artists while establishing a longer-term framework for the development of new work. Through FUTUREWORKS and NOW, the organization aims to provide artists with sustained opportunities to develop ideas and bring new work to audiences.
For London City Ballet, the partnership provides another avenue for the company to contribute to the development of the next generation of choreographic voices in classical ballet.
Learn more about London City Ballet at www.londoncityballet.com.
