This February, the Ballet Icons Gala returns to the London Coliseum to celebrate a remarkable milestone: its 20th anniversary. Founded by Olga Balakleets, the gala has evolved into one of the most ambitious events on the international dance calendar. On a single stage in a single night, leading dancers from around the world come together to perform, inspire and captivate.
The beginnings of Ballet Icons Gala
Unusually, Balakleets’ connection to ballet was not forged at a young age. Trained as a classical pianist, she began her career organising classical music concerts. But after a successful stint at the Royal Albert Hall, the foundations for a ballet gala were laid.
The first-ever Ballet Icons Gala, in 2006, marked the 80th birthday of the iconic Maya Plisetskaya. Plisetskaya was even personally involved, but she sadly passed away months before the gala.
Early editions were dedicated to major icons in ballet history – Maya Plisetskay, Rudolf Nureyev, Marius Petipa, Vaslav Nijinsky – though over time, Balakleets has moved away from these more formal dedications. “I stopped moving in this direction because really I wanted it to be a celebration of ballet, a celebration of dance itself,” she says.
Scale and stars
Most galas will feature 10-12 dancers in one night. This year’s performance features 33. “This is an ambitious gala which brings together so many stars on one stage on the same night,” Balakleets says. “It really is quite exceptional.”
This year’s cast list reads like a who’s who of global ballet, with stars from the world’s most prestigious companies: The Royal Ballet, La Scala, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Berlin State Ballet, Vienna Ballet Theatre and the Dutch National Ballet. Every icon imaginable has performed under the gala’s hallowed roof, a testament to the vision and persuasiveness of its founder and artistic director. Countless starts – Marianela Nuñez, Roberto Bolle, Lucia Lacarra, Sergei Polunin and Daniil Simkin have all returned again and again, drawn to its unique scale and energy.
The next generation of icons
For Balakleets, the gala’s success is about more than showcasing the world’s most established dancers, but discovering and supporting younger dancers, too. “It’s very much part of our mission now, to keep discovering new talent and see how they evolve from very talented young dancers into real professionals and icons of our time”, she explains.
For example, in 2023, Antonio Casalinho (then 19) and Margarita Fernandes (then 17) took the stage by storm in Le Corsaire, then returned to rapturous acclaim in 2024 with their Esmeralda pas de deux and again in 2025 with Diana and Acteon, each time demonstrating greater technical mastery, artistic maturity, and a deeper stage presence that reflects the gala’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of ballet stars.
Contemporary and new creations
Contemporary choreography has also become a permanent fixture at Ballet Icons Gala. “For some time, our galas focused more on the classical,” Balakleets explains. “But especially in the last five years, contemporary direction has become much more important and showcasing new choreographers has really become part of our mission. And not just new choreography, but world premieres created specifically for this occasion. It’s incredibly exciting.”
This year, the programme includes two world premieres produced for the gala by Mthuthuzeli November and James Pett with Travis Clausen-Knight. “The presence of contemporary choreography alongside great, well-established choreographers like Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, and Christopher Wheeldon is really key to this evening. It is part of what makes us so unique, bringing choreography of very talented choreographers who possibly are not so well known.”
The 20th anniversary
So what can audiences expect this year? One of this year’s highlights will see Edward Watson, who performed at the very first gala, return in Asylum, choreographed by award-winning Antonia Franceschi. The piece is a UK premiere, having had its world premiere in New York in collaboration with the non-profit vildwerk. Foundation. “They’re doing amazing work highlighting the environmental crisis and doing this through choreography is really fascinating,” Balakleets notes.
The programme also features works by Wayne McGregor, Angelin Preljocaj, Marco Goecke, and Jean-Christophe Maillot, performed by a stellar international cast including Marianela Núñez OBE, Natalia Osipova, Vadim Muntagirov, Francesca Hayward, Reece Clarke, Lucia Lacarra, Nicoletta Manni, Daniil Simkin and Edward Watson MBE.
For Balakleets, an “icon” is marked by exceptional talent, dedication, and resilience. “Ballet is a very physically and emotionally hard form of art,” she says. “Watching this talent, this dedication and hardship over the years has given me profound respect and awe for the art form.”
After 20 years, Ballet Icons Gala is a real testament to Balakleets’ unwavering passion and vision. Over the years, she has relied on the expertise of longtime collaborators, including Paul Godfrey, who has been production director from the beginning, and Marianna Gomes, who joined several years ago as artistic advisor and artist manager. Together, they have helped the gala grow and evolve, embracing contemporary choreography, premieres and emerging talent while honouring the classical roots that shaped its origins. Reflecting on this journey, Balakleets says, “I cannot imagine my life without this project. It is my life and my soul.”
Ballet Icons Gala 2026 takes place on February 15 February. For more information about the event and tickets, visit balleticonsgala.com.
