Linbury Theatre, Royal Ballet & Opera, London
June 21, 2026
For over thirty years, The Royal Ballet’s flagship young talent programme, Chance to Dance, has been diversifying ballet from the bottom up. The programme works with independent dance schools across the country to widen access to dance in culturally and ethnically diverse communities, often in disadvantaged areas. Chance to Dance as part of the Next Generation Festival is a tangible example of a pathway into classical ballet for young people who are under represented on our stages.
The Chance to Dance: Legacy company (Bradford and North East), with a mighty cast of almost fifty young dancers, performed a charming two-part reimagining of Peter Wright’s Giselle.
The choreography is a shared effort between the dancers, leads and associates, and makes full use of the stage in ever-evolving formations and playful patterns. In the background moves a projection of a bucolic countryside, then a moonlit sky, adding narrative to a lively stage, as does a brief sequence of mime that highlights budding actors of the collective. Every transition leaves plenty of room for each dancer to flourish with a twirl or leap in precisely in their own way. It was a joy to watch.
Photo Rachel Cherry
Part two of the show marks a profound full circle moment for both cast and creators. Rishan Benjamin and Ishan Mahabir Stokes, alumni of the programme, feature in You in Every Lifetime, a brief but beautiful contemporary ballet duet co-created by Monique Jonas and Jacob Wye, also alumni.
Benjamin and Mahabir Stokes are both strikingly calm and composed throughout this intricate choreography that abstracts classical port de bras and lends well to the fluid entwining of limbs. The pair hinge off balance and catch coy eye contact like two lovers circling the moment of union. Though quite emotionally reserved, the duet’s presence in the programme and collaboration behind it offers an inspiring success story of four dancers who were noticed, and encouraged to explore their talent through Chance to Dance.
An exciting finale arrived with the Chance to Dance: Connect Company, which forms the bridge between the young dancers who opened the show, and the professionals. The company was created for young dancers of Global Majority Heritage ages 11-18 who wish to pursue ballet, and in the words of the team, provides a crucially-needed space where ‘ethnicity is not their defining feature’.
A full-bodied work that combines Wye’s gestural style with Jonas’s fast footwork, Portal of Passage is paced, dramatic and cleverly organised to highlight the strengths of the individual. It is a frontal work that the dancers seize and fly with as they shift in and out of a continually oscillating stage. Beyond its foundation of ballet technique, the piece also explores a rooted, rhythmic style that articulates the whole spine as rapid percussion builds. Impressive virtuosity is displayed across the group in the form of high leaps, carefully considered artistry, and partner-work beyond their years, best demonstrated by a sequence of three, riveting duets.
The performance overall was celebratory and hopeful example of how Chance to Dance can catalyse the careers of dancers who may never have crossed paths with ballet otherwise. Not all young people on this stage will pursue vocational training but the point lies in them being given the chance to explore that option, unhindered by systematic barriers. As explained in one of the three introductory videos, the ripple effect of the programme is felt far and wide; ballet careers aside, it nurtures confidence, collaboration and crucially, brings together diverse groups of young people through movement.