Following Covid-19, theaters worldwide were forced to make major sacrifices due to funding cuts, social distancing laws and geopolitical tensions. Thankfully, 2024 saw opera houses and theaters alike return to their pre-pandemic vibrancy with notable promotions, cross-theatre collaborations, and premieres. This blog takes a quick look back at some of the year’s most exciting successes.

Dance in the UK
 

In Britain, Carlos Acosta’s Birmingham Royal Ballet premiered an avant-garde blend of heavy metal and ballet: Black Sabbath. Although an unlikely duo, Pontus Lidberg’s choreography effortlessly complements the harsh vocals of the Birmingham-born band, resulting in a fiery concoction of elegance and strength. The ballet is returning for an international and UK tour in 2025 after receiving rave reviews as Acosta seeks to bring an unexpected harmony to theaters across the globe. Black Sabbath allows dancers to rock out on stage! Surely that deserves a front row seat at the International Dance Day celebrations.

Dance in the USA
 

Across the pond in the USA, renowned Classical Ballet competition, the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), celebrated its 25th anniversary. Although the benefit of competitions has been contested by many, YAGP deserves praise for its esteemed roster of alumni which includes greats such as Isabella Boylston (ABT), and Cesar Corrales (Royal Ballet). In fact, the competition has offered the opportunity to dance on stage to over 100,000 dancers worldwide and remains an important source for talent spotting for companies and schools alike. 
 

Dance in Eastern Europe

Back in Europe, the Georgia Ballet made its first appearance in over 175 years in London at the Coliseum. The company's performances of Swan Lake took place in August and September of 2024 and marked an important debut for the company’s director, Nina Ananiashvili. London audiences welcomed the traditional spectacle though some were critical of the Russian-style endless applause between variations. Alongside 32 swans elegantly decorating the stage, the performance entailed an exciting international collaboration between the English National Opera Orchestra and the Eastern European theatre.

Dance in Asia 

Further afield in Korea, the Global Ballet Star Gala, organized by K-Global Ballet Institute, took place to celebrate Sun Hee Kim, honorary professor at Korea National University of Arts. Under Kim, the school has nurtured some of ballet’s best, with students such as Sae Sun Park (Paris Opéra Ballet étoile) and Kimin Kim (Marrinsky Theatre principal) having honed their talent inside its walls. The gala was a clear display of Korean artistry and excellence and a wonderful complement to Kim’s newest initiative: the Seoul Ballet Forum (an annual international conference) which will begin in 2026.

Dance in Australia

Dance successes were also noted Down Under with the Australian Ballet, directed by David Hallberg, premiering the daring and insightful masterpiece Oscar. The ballet is a tantalizing exploration into the motivations, emotions and struggles of the English writer, Oscar Wilde. A deep dive into queer romance, Christopher Wheeldon’s provocative ballet allows for an exciting expansion into unknown territory, opening up doors for different types of stories and further yet, different storytellers. The ballet was met with rapturous applause, marking a clear artistic achievement on the international world stage.

The PBT Community
 

All around the world, dance continues to remind us of our shared humanity, allowing us to recognise our commonalities and celebrate our differences. Progressing Ballet Technique’s (PBT) community of aspiring, professional and recreational dancers, athletes and fitness enthusiasts is a testament to the unfiying capacity of dance. Catering to individuals all around the world, PBT seeks to provide dancers with the knowledge and strength they need to be the best they can be. Whether that means helping them reduce the risk of injury, increasing confidence or building solid technical foundations, PBT provides a structured and supportive means of optimizing your unique capabilities. For PBT, the celebrations continue long after International Dance Day, as we commit to sharing our expertise so that you can keep sharing your talents wherever that may be.