Everyone’s asking: will there be a World Ballet Day in 2025?
The real one, that is, sponsored by The Royal Ballet, The Australian Ballet and (most recently in 2023) San Francisco Ballet. Yes, you saw “their” Facebook page, assuring you that it was on for 2025. Woo hoo! Or … ?
Sorry to be the informer of bad news. Or actually, no news. There has been no official statement on the global event that connects over sixty ballet companies (by 2023) around the world, in their behind-the-scenes workdays. It’s a glorious 24 hours of nonstop ballet that has held ballet lovers enthralled since 2012, when The Royal Ballet commenced the first World Ballet Day. The following year, collaborating with The Bolshoi, the Australian Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and San Francisco Ballet, it became a golden extravaganza, then an annual event, and balletomanes around the world were in hog heaven.
My Classical Girl hunch is that if we haven’t heard anything by now, September 6th, that there is not going to be a World Ballet Day 2025. But let’s remain hopeful, dear reader. One year, the organization surprised me with a late announcement of the event. So one might be still forthcoming. Check back here; I promise to scour the internet daily and post the news, be it good or bad, as soon as I read it. If one happens, it will be mentioned on The Royal Ballet or The Australian Ballet websites. Here’s the message from last year on the latter’s website, posted in August 2024:
After 10 fantastic years of bringing together audiences around the globe on World Ballet Day, The Australian Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet have decided to pause the event this year.
We’re looking to return in 2025 with a refreshed and dynamic approach, bringing the World Ballet Day celebrations to even more people.
In the meantime, enjoy a World Ballet Day recording from the past. It’s The Royal Ballet’s entire 2023 segment, an amazingly generous five-hour recording. It has always thrilled me to watch the big ballet companies’ dancers immersed in their company class and that’s what it starts with. You’ll need to fast-forward three or so minutes before the recording starts.
Amazing, huh? And now, for your reading pleasure …
Links to some of The Classical Girl’s perennially popular blogs on ballet
- La Sylphide: the most important classical ballet you’ve probably never seen
- 10 Reasons Ballet Dancers Hate Black Swan
- The Classical Girl’s Very Casual Top 10 Classical Ballet List
- 10 Reasons Those Pointe Shoes Hurt
- Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Tutus
Lastly, interest in ballet fiction? We’re celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Ballet Theatre Chronicles! Book 1, Off Balance and the final book, Other Stages, are only 99 cents through the end of the year. Books 2 and 3, Outside the Limelight and Ballet Orphans are only $2.99. Just click on their titles!