Let's Dance at The Royal Ballet School

The Royal Ballet School opened its doors to the public for the first time in our near 100-year history, as part of Angela Rippon’s nationwide Let’s Dance initiative. The initiative aimed to get the nation dancing, and we were thrilled to welcome people from all walks of life into our studios to experience the joy of movement firsthand, many of whom had never stepped foot in a ballet studio before.  

The response to our open day was overwhelming—all available spaces sold out in less than 48 hours and we had a waitlist of 1000. Our youngest participant was just nine months old, while our eldest dancer was an inspiring 81 years old. Over the course of the day, approximately 360 people took part in ballet, contemporary, character, and mime classes led by our dedicated teachers. The energy and enthusiasm in the building was truly palpable, and the event proved to be a heartwarming celebration of the power of dance to unite, uplift, and inspire. 

One particularly moving moment came from Isobel Jones, a wheelchair user, who shared her experience:  

On Sunday, I attended my first ballet class (and my first in-person dance class) in 11 years since becoming disabled. I even managed to put on a leotard and tights, something I never imagined I could do just months ago. The atmosphere was warm and inviting from the start. Rachael Hunt, my teacher, seamlessly adapted exercises for me, making me feel included and empowered. For the first time in years, I felt that spark of passion for dance—a feeling I thought I had lost. Dancing in my chair felt no different to dancing on my feet. I can’t fully put into words how much this experience meant to me.  

In addition to our inspiring participants, we were delighted to welcome Angela Rippon herself, who attended alongside her dance partner, Kai Widdrington. The event also attracted media coverage from GB News and ITV News, further spreading the message of Let’s Dance and its mission to make dance accessible to all. 

Artistic Director Iain Mackay shared the School’s motivation for being a part of this initiative:  

With ballet, sometimes people perceive there are certain barriers to be able to participate. It was important for us as an organisation to open our doors and welcome people into our building to celebrate what the power of dance can do for your physical wellbeing, your mental wellbeing, and the sheer fun of it.  

As participants left the School, the most common remark we heard was how warm and welcoming our space felt. It was a privilege to share the magic of The Royal Ballet School with so many new faces, and we hope this will be just the beginning of their dance journeys. Here are a few comments from participants about their experience:  

It’s been so much fun and such a privilege to be able to come to this location and be taught by world class dancers.  

It was lovely. Something we could do together as a community and it being free meant that we could attend as a group and there were no barriers to dance whatsoever.  

It’s just wonderful because it’s not what I would normally do. A wonderful opportunity and it gets the brain thinking.

Our Let’s Dance event also stretched beyond our School in London. Primary schools across the UK received access to one of our Primary Steps on Demand classes to participate in in the lead up to Sunday, and many of our Affiliate Teachers, who are trained in The Royal Ballet School System of Training, opened the doors to their dance schools across the UK as well.  

Let’s Dance 2025 was a memorable and meaningful event, and we hope it inspired those who attended to keep dancing.