The Royal Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Black British Ballet project by Oxygen Arts present an exclusive insight: Black Dancers in Ballet – Sharing a Rich Trans-Atlantic History. The event is co-hosted by The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House and Jacobs Pillow at the New York Public Library of Performing Arts on 25 April at 7pm (BST) / 2pm (EST). Featuring a live panel discussion and rehearsal from both The Royal Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem, this event will be livestreamed internationally on YouTube and Facebook.

Black Dancers in Ballet – Sharing a Rich Trans-Atlantic History will explore the relationship between Dance Theatre of Harlem and The Royal Ballet, and the history of Black dancers in ballet in both the UK and the USA. It will also explore the legacy of the relationship between the two companies, one that lasts to this day through The Royal Ballet’s Chance to Dance programme. Chance to Dance was launched after the heads of education from Sadlers Wells and the Royal Opera House journeyed to New York to see the successful outreach education programmes run by Dance Theatre of Harlem.

The insight also features rehearsals with Royal Ballet dancers Joseph Sissens and Marianna Tsembenhoi alongside Kouadio Davis and Kamala Saara from Dance Theatre of Harlem. They will perform a range of solos in addition to pas de deux from Giselle and Balanchine’s Agon, coached by Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Robert Garland, Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare, and The Royal Ballet Rehearsal Director, Christopher Saunders.

The panel discussion will be chaired by Brenda Emmanus OBE and features Robert Garland, Kevin O’Hare, former Dance Theatre of Harlem dancers Julie Felix MBE and Brenda Garratt-Glassman, and Dr Sandie Bourne, Black British Ballet.