Celebrating 25 incredible years, Cassa Pancho's Ballet Black returns to the Linbury Theatre with an exciting new mixed programme. The programme opens with Ingoma (2019), the choreographic debut of former company dancer, Mthuthuzeli November. Inspired by the 1946 South African miners’ strike, a precursor to the anti-apartheid movement, Ingoma captures the suffering and resilience of Black miners and their communities, bringing rarely told stories to the ballet stage. The work won both the 2020 Olivier Award and the Black British Theatre Award for Best Dance Production. .

Alongside it comes a new commission from Hope Boykin, a two-time Bessie Award winner, making her UK choreographic debut. Boykin, who says “I make work and create environments from personal and lived experiences,” creates a celebratory piece especially for Ballet Black’s 25th year, a vibrant tribute to the company’s journey and a bold look towards its future.

Since its founding in 2001, Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black has transformed the landscape of British ballet by championing artists of Black and Asian descent. Known for their repertory of deeply resonant works, the company and its dancers have won and been nominated for many awards. Ballet Black has a long history of performing at the Royal Opera House, beginning in 2005 with its first season at the Linbury Studio Theatre.