World Ballet Day

Thursday 29 October 2026 marks the return of World Ballet Day, a global celebration of dance. For this year’s theme of How Stories Are Made, The Royal Ballet’s livestream will offer audiences an insight into the path from studio to stage, telling stories of how knowledge is passed down from generation to generation.

The stream begins at 11.30am with a live broadcast of The Royal Ballet’s daily Company Class, a much-loved highlight of World Ballet Day that offers unique access to the Company in morning practice as dancers prepare for the day’s rehearsals. Presented by Royal Ballet Principal Character Artist Kristen McNally and filmed live from the Royal Opera House, the programme offers an inspiring insight into the world of ballet and the living tradition of multi-generational coaching, shared artistry and storytelling. 

There will also be both pre-recorded and live footage of The Royal Ballet School and Birmingham Royal Ballet featured as part of The Royal Ballet’s livestream.

Through rehearsal and conversation, the livestream will explore the transmission of knowledge through training and coaching, and how choreography is coached and passed on to new generations, revealing the central role that teachers and ballet répétiteurs play in preserving the art form. 

Drawing on their personal experiences of working with choreographers past and present, coaches play an essential role in the rehearsal journey, not only in staging ballets but also in guiding artists and helping to ensure works are performed as originally intended. By aligning steps, technique and artistry with knowledge and memories that often span decades, they continue the vital tradition of sharing and passing on ballet to the next generation.  

Discover what companies around the world are doing for World Ballet Day 2026 on the World Ballet Day website.