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London Coliseum
Approx. 2 hours 40 minutes including one interval
#ENB70
A spectacular programme for an unmissable celebration.

Celebrate with us the countless dancers, choreographers, artists, musicians, artisans, technicians and audience members who, over our 70 years, have been a part of the English National Ballet family, as we and English National Ballet School come together for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

In the first half, we present a non-stop programme of some of the most important, enjoyable and iconic works that make up English National Ballet’s history and ground-breaking repertoire. 

Classics of the Ballets Russes (that inspired our original vision) melt into modern productions; archive footage of the Company dissolves into live action on stage; and extracts from great masters – Balanchine, Petit, MacMillan and many more – follow one another to create an astonishing, dream-like look back at our history, and that of modern ballet.

The evening concludes with a stunning showcase of the great talent across all the ranks of English National Ballet, with Harald Lander’s Etudes. This favourite of our repertory, which we first performed in 1955, begins with traditional ballet exercises and steps and ramps up to a show-stopping display of dancing.

For 70 years, English National Ballet has been known for artistic excellence, innovative collaborations and bringing world-class ballet to the widest possible audience. For this special anniversary, support us with the purchase of a premium ticket, which includes a programme and a donation to the company.

Friends of English National Ballet receive discounts on tickets (T&Cs apply). Become a Friend today.

Main image: English National Ballet in Etudes © Laurent Liotardo

Casting and Repertoire

The Gala performances will begin with a blend of film and performance. Using archive footage of English National Ballet, Dominic Best, who directed BBC documentaries Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake and Giselle: Belle of the Ballet, will create a special film which will dissolve into live performance on stage, with extracts from the following works to be performed:

  • Apollo, George Balanchine
  • Who Cares?, George Balanchine
  • La Sylphide, August Bournonville
  • Swansong, Christopher Bruce
  • Strictly Gershwin, Derek Deane
  • Playlist (Track 2), William Forsythe
  • Coppélia, Ronald Hynd
  • Dust, Akram Khan
  • Giselle, Akram Khan
  • Broken Wings, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
  • The Sleeping Beauty, Kenneth MacMillan
  • Romeo & Juliet, Rudolf Nureyev
  • Carmen, Roland Petit
  • Three Preludes, Ben Stevenson

International dance star Sergio Bernal will be joining the Company as Guest Artist for the 70th Anniversary Gala, performing Farruca (Three-Cornered Hat).

ENBYouthCo will also perform a short piece choreographed by their Creative Director, Richard Bermange.

The gala performances conclude with a nod to English National Ballet’s early years, with a performance of one if its signature pieces, Etudes by Harald Lander, first performed by the Company in 1955.

Subject to change.

Meet the principal cast

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