BALLET BLACK

In the twenty years since the Company was founded, Ballet Black has made a fundamental change in the diversity of mainstream classical ballet – on stage, behind the scenes, and among audiences and participants. We do this by creating world-class new ballet that is bold and distinctive, fresh and surprising, and that challenges perceptions; promoting a greater inclusion in ballet training, and growing audience diversity for dance and the wider arts sector.

We have had huge success in delivering this vision: developing a reputation as one of the most prolific commissioners of new and critically acclaimed ballets; increasing access to dance through our subsidised company and dance school for young people and developing new and diverse dance audiences across the UK through touring to venues and reaching people who otherwise would not have access, geographically or financially, to high quality classical ballet. Ballet Black is also playing a role in advocating wider societal change through its cutting-edge collaborations; such as working with Freed of London to create the first UK made pointe shoes for BAME dancers.

Ballet Black Approach
Achieving huge impact through small forces of just eight dancers, Black are the only national ballet company offering work at the small and middle scale, allowing audiences to take affordable risks with classical ballet, as well as reaching places across the UK that do not receive large-scale touring from other UK classical ballet companies. Touring is central to our vision to bring ballet to a more culturally diverse audience. In recent years our work has toured to an average of 20 UK venues annually, reaching 35,000 in audiences nationally. We continue to build significant relationships with regional venues across the UK where we support local venues to develop new and diverse audiences.

“Watch any Ballet Black performance and you notice how racially and socially mixed the audience is compared with most ballet shows. But if the company, founded in 2001, still has a mission to change the face of ballet, artistically it has always been refreshingly unfettered – as its terrifically engaging current programme attests.” The Guardian, 2018

Developing New Innovative Art -
Ballet Black has developed a reputation for commissioning new works from a diverse range of choreographers. We are the UK’s most prolific commissioner of new ballets and our programme has helped to launch the careers of significant choreographers, contributing to developing classical ballet and enabling audiences to explore a number of aesthetics through their engagement with our work.

We have built our reach and reputation for creating accessible triple and double bill programmes that tour nationwide. We have partnerships with the Barbican, Theatre Royal Stratford East and The Royal Opera House, and just as importantly, with a network of over 20 small and mid-size regional venues. Over the next three years we hope to develop an ambitious international programme, promoting Ballet Black as an artistic leader and model for how other international dance companies promote a diversity agenda.

Promoting and Inspiring Diversity -
Black and Asian artists are under-represented at all levels of classical ballet. Our company is therefore a vital part of the ecology in providing positive role models and opportunities for dancers, and choreographers to work at the highest level in the profession. Many of our dancers have gone on to careers with Rambert, Northern Ballet and English National Ballet. Our Artistic Director; Cassa Pancho, a woman of colour is the youngest female director in the UK history of classical ballet and the first British female since Ninette de Valois to found and direct a classical ballet company.

Ballet Black is committed to developing talent and work at the early stages of ballet through our subsidised Junior School, which provides young children from all ethnic backgrounds across London access to ballet. Our Junior School cements our commitment to reaching a critical mass of young people for whom the art form has historically been closed. Further opportunities to nurture diverse talent are offered in the Junior Associate Programme that offers girls and young women of BAME descent weekly classes and specialised support in making the leap from amateur classes to vocational dance training.

Ballet Black is a registered charity. The organisation is comprised of a board of 8 trustees, a CEO/Artistic Director, General Manager, Admin Assistant, a company of 8-10 dancers, and freelance staff who are contracted on a project-by-project basis. The company office is in London.

The organisation is led by Cassa Pancho MBE; founder and CEO/artistic director of Ballet Black and an acknowledged sector leader. She is a graduate of Durham University and the Royal Academy of Dance (2001) and the National Theatre’s Cultural Leadership Programme, Step Change (2009). Her leadership has gained recognition through the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Company in 2009 and Best Independent Company in 2012.

Ballet Black have a strong and diverse board made up of 8 members who bring with them skills and experience in cultural and organisational leadership, choreography and art form knowledge, economics, academia, corporate networking, and entrepreneurship. The chair of our Board is Althea Efunshile CBE a senior public executive. The Board, who are the charity’s trustees, meet quarterly.