London Children's Ballet

Each year, LCB takes a favourite children’s story and develops an original scenario full of humour, drama and excitement to engage a family audience. LCB then commissions an emerging composer to write a ‘full-evening’ narrative score and an up-and-coming choreographer to set the ballet. Working also with an up-and-coming costume and set designers, LCB stages a stunning new ballet each year, performed over a week-long run to sell-out audiences in the West End’s Peacock Theatre. The LCB Company is made up of highly talented young dancers aged 9-14 (boys 9-16). Children join the company through annual competitive auditions . The 4-month rehearsal and performance experience is free of charge, which not only makes LCB unique but also means there is no barrier to talent – LCB dancers come from every economic, social and ethnic background, united by their passion for ballet. LCB does not only select children who are technically gifted; audition judges look for children who have that special appeal that makes a dancer beautiful to watch regardless of whether or not they have a perfect ballet body. LCB dancers rehearse on Sunday afternoons from January to April, with an intensive period of daily rehearsals over their Easter holidays. In total, they receive over 100 hours of free, specialist ballet tuition and performance experience.