World Ballet Day LIVE returns on 4 October

World Ballet Day LIVEThe Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, and San Francisco Ballet will collaborate for the third time to broadcast 20 hours of behind-the-scenes footage on Tuesday, October 4. For the first time, World Ballet Day LIVE will be streamed via Facebook LIVE—the longest broadcast ever to be shown on the platform.

 

World Ballet Day LIVE is a celebration of dance and an opportunity for audiences to see what it takes to be one of the world’s top ballet companies, and get an inside look at the athleticism and dedication required for a life in ballet. Each company will introduce viewers to a variety of insights, from morning class, rehearsals for upcoming performances, and backstage preparations.

 

This year World Ballet Day LIVE will also include pre-recorded footage from a wide range of other dance organizations from across the world. Confirmed companies are: Ballets du Monte Carlo, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, English National Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Houston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Northern Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Queensland Ballet, Scottish Ballet and West Australian Ballet.

 

World Ballet Day LIVE 2015 saw an unprecedented 349,000 views on the day itself and has subsequently reached an audience of over 2 million. Working with Facebook LIVE, it aims to reach an even wider audience via social media channels including Instagram. Viewers are encouraged to get involved using the hashtag #WorldBalletDay and #mydanceshoes, submitting pictures and videos of their own dancing shoes.

 

The full schedule for the day will be released closer to the event date. For more information, visit australianballet.com.au. Plan to tune in and see for yourself why The New York Times declared World Ballet Day LIVE an “unprecedented bout of internationalism.”

 

 

Photo: Artists of The Australian Ballet. Photo by Kate Longley.