The Royal Ballet School’s 2025 Summer Performance season concluded July 12 with presentations at the Royal Opera House main stage, following eight performances across three London venues that showcased both newcomer debuts and departing student graduations. The season included two performances at the Linbury Theatre and five at Opera Holland Park before the Covent Garden finale.
Dance critics praised the season for technical achievement and artistic sophistication that matched professional standards. Jonathan Gray of Bachtrack declared: “It was, quite simply, the best Royal Ballet School performance I have seen in years.”
Matthew Paluch described
Broadway World critic Matthew Paluch described the season as exceptional: “I feel confident in saying that the show is perhaps the best school offering I’ve ever seen, and rivalled a lot of the professional performances I’ve attended over the last few years.”
Programming balanced established classical works with newly commissioned contemporary pieces. Aurora’s Wedding, restaged by Anthony Dowell for Upper School students, opened the Royal Opera House matinée alongside Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, performed by second-year and pre-professional dancers.
Student interviews conducted backstage at Opera Holland Park revealed personal significance across all training years. Year 7 student Lucinda explained: “I love being backstage and seeing other year groups dance, and also being with all my friends because they support me.”
Year 10 student Rain articulated performance’s deeper purpose: “We all come together and remember what we love about what we do, which is dancing for other people and trying to make them the happiest that they can be and take them somewhere else in their beings.”
Contemporary commissions featured prominently throughout the programming. Ruth Brill created Garden Suite specifically for Years 7-9, casting students as garden insects. Yoshino from Year 7 described the performance moment: “I love the moment you get on stage – the rush of applause makes that passion inside you roar up and makes you smile.”
American choreographer Jessica Lang’s Sweet Morning Blooms provided first-year Upper School students with what Matthew Paluch described as “a breath of fresh air. White and (strong) pastels defined an invigorated palette, and the dancing by the 1st year Upper School students was both athletic and capricious.”
First-year student Izzy reflected on the experience: “I loved performing in Sweet Morning Blooms – it was a real collective experience for all of us, and we all had so much fun being able to express our inner flower as Miss Jessica would say.”
choreographer Hannah Joseph
London choreographer Hannah Joseph created Gridlock for second-year students, examining individuality within group movement. Critics noted the work’s “strong, distinct identity” while praising students for discovering “freedom within the bound movement style.”
Second-year student Millán, who performed the Prince in Aurora’s Wedding, described the role: “It was super exciting to dance the role of the Prince in Aurora’s Wedding. It’s a very demanding but rewarding role, so we’ve been working very hard and it’s nice to be able to share all that hard work with the audience.”
Pre-professional students performed Culmination, choreographed by Olivier award-winner Arielle Smith to Quincy Jones music. The piece marked the final collaborative work for graduating students before professional career transitions. Critics described performances resembling “a wild Brazilian samba school had hijacked the proceedings, such was the dancers’ abandon and joie de vivre.”
Pre-professional student Matteo captured the season’s emotional resonance: “The week has been incredible. The best part about it is seeing everyone coming together at the end of the year and having fun. No matter what happens, it’s just the best feeling when everyone’s smiling and enjoying being on stage.”
The traditional Grand Défilé finale united all 212 students on the Royal Opera House main stage, providing graduating students their final curtain calls before beginning professional careers worldwide.
Several departing students acknowledged mixed emotions surrounding graduation. Krista noted: “It is definitely sad to think about it that way, but it’s been amazing and I’m excited for what’s next.”
Tristan-Ian expressed the complexity of endings: “It’s emotional for sure, but I’m just trying to take it all in and really enjoy it because this is the last time I’ll be here.”
Critics consistently praised Artistic Director Iain Mackay’s programming choices and institutional development. Teresa Guerreiro of Ballet Position described the season: “The Royal Ballet School Summer Performance was a dazzling show of technique, professionalism and sheer joy of dancing.”
Claire of Seeing Dance
Nicola Claire of Seeing Dance characterized the programming as “tour-de-force, with unbelievably high standards of dancing from the youngest to the oldest, two classical ballets performed to top professional standards, Alongside five fresh works, each one stood out as imaginative, original, uplifting, and truly captivating to see.
Students from different year levels contributed varied perspectives on the season’s significance. Year 9 student Emilia appreciated community aspects: “I like the time before the show in the dressing room when we are all helping each other out and we’re all nervous and excited. It’s a really nice atmosphere.”
Year 11 student Isaac valued cross-program collaboration: “My favourite thing about Summer Performances is seeing everyone from all year levels across White Lodge and Upper School dancing on stage together because we don’t get to do that very often.”
International collaboration featured in Tracks Uniting, created by Iva Lešić with the Dutch National Ballet Academy for White Lodge Years 10 and 11. Critics praised students who “handled its syncopated rhythms and fast progressions with great precision.”
Year 11 student Sophia appreciated repertoire diversity: “My favourite thing about Summer Performances is the opportunity to perform different pieces and explore different characters.”
The season occurred despite challenging weather conditions at Opera Holland Park, where extreme temperatures required healthcare interventions and schedule adjustments. Students maintained performance quality throughout these demanding circumstances.
student Eva described
Year 10 student Eva described performance rewards: “When we finally get to the performance it’s very rewarding because we’ve rehearsed so much for it. What I love most about ballet is being on stage, so having the chance to perform and witness the audience’s joy makes it even more special.
Critics acknowledged institutional achievement represented by the season’s scope and execution. Matthew Paluch observed: “What struck me was the mindset of the young performers. The joy of dance simply radiated from the stage, as did confidence and bravery.”
Pre-professional student Alberto summarized performance week satisfaction: “My favourite thing about Summer Performances is seeing it all come together from rehearsals and watching my colleagues enjoy themselves on stage – it is so inspiring for me.”
The season demonstrated The Royal Ballet School’s success in balancing rigorous classical preparation with contemporary artistic exploration while maintaining the collaborative community environment students consistently identified as fundamental to their development.
The Royal Ballet School continues to showcase excellence through competitive training programs while maintaining its reputation as a world-class institution. The performances highlighted the school’s commitment to nurturing young dancers pursuing ballet careers and demonstrated how the institution maintains its standards despite ongoing discussions about training approaches for younger students.
Georgina Butler of Gramilano praised the Royal Opera House presentations: “All the students had dreamily sailed through the Royal Ballet’s signature work,” while acknowledging the institutional achievement represented by sustained excellence across multiple performance levels and venues.