World Ballet Day is back! With such uncertainty since early 2020, businesses closing and opening, only to close again, it was so exciting to have World Ballet Day in 2020. The global live streaming event is back this year and with companies back to performances on stage, we can expect even more rehearsals. As with many other industries, the arts have been affected by the pandemic; From company dancers taking class in their kitchens, and administration working from home, to the studios and theatres closing.
World Ballet Day is the annual event that brings new and experienced audience members alike together to experience and celebrate ballet on a global scale. The inaugural event was in 2014, and has continued every year since with over 20 hours of live streaming across the world.
I wrote about what World Ballet Day in 2019 (read here), and the year before that (read here). This year, the event is a global celebration of how art perseveres in times of crisis, and of the dancers, companies, theatres and audience members coming together to celebrate ballet.
Here’s the Nitty Gritty
When is it?
October 19th 2021. If you are in Eastern Standard Time (EST), the Main Livestream will start at 21h00 on 18 October 2021, as it starts in Australia.
Where do I watch?
World Ballet Day is streamed on each company’s own Youtube Channel or Facebook page. To be honest, It does get a little confusing having to jump around to different places to find out where everyone is streaming, especially companies outside the Big 3 (The Australian Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet and The Royal Ballet). If you click on each company name on the event website, it will take you to where that company is streaming the event. Also this year for the first time is an Instagram Page specifically for the event with a link in the bio available to watch the livestream.
Is “X” company live streaming?
Maybe! I’ve listed the main schedule below, as provided by https://worldballetday.com but I have seen other companies who are not officially on the list either streamed or posted their own videos for World Ballet Day in previous years. This is why the only way to tell if the company you’re looking for is doing something for World Ballet Day is to look at their YouTube channel, FaceBook page or Instagram.
What is company class?
The Big 3 always show their company class before any rehearsals or discussions on World Ballet Day. Company class is a ballet class taken by the company dancers at the start of their day. They start at the barre with a warm up exercise, move through pliés and tendus, and eventually move into the centre for turns and jumps. Company class is a really fun way to get to know the company a little better, watch dancers you love, find new dancers to look out for, and listen to some fantastic piano accompaniment!
How is World Ballet Day Different this year?
With many companies getting back on stage and entering full seasons, this year will probably have more rehearsal live streams, but those rehearsals will translate more directly to what is on stage this season.
The Australian Ballet is also under new artistic directorship with David Hallberg at the helm, and hosting their portion of the stream this year.
Something I’m personally excited for is to hopefully see Steven McRae either in class or rehearsal, as he is one of my favourite dancers to watch. World Ballet Day so happens to align with his first performance back after an achilles rupture on stage two years ago. I’ve followed his journey back through Instagram and am cheering from the sidelines! I wish I was able to see his return to stage in person, but am hoping to see him in the livestream this year.
World Ballet Day is always a blast and an event that has me up through the night and the full next day every year since it started. After watching over 20 hours of live streamed ballet, I have always felt reconnected to the dance world and get really excited and motivated to get back to class and the audience (digital or live).
If you are in a position to do so, consider donating and supporting theatres, companies and dancers. (Every company has a donation and support section on their website.)
I’ll be compiling a list of upcoming digital shows and posting that shortly, which will hopefully be a good resource and place to start.
Happy Watching!