In The Royal Ballet School‘s 100th graduating class, this year consisting of 30 students, all have secured contracts with companies as they start their professional journeys – “a milestone moment honouring both heritage and future.”
Seventeen companies have offered contracts to the students, with six going to The Royal Ballet and five to Birmingham Royal Ballet. In addition to the other UK companies, the students will be headed to Australia, the USA, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Here is the full list:
Henry Burgess | English National Ballet
Noah Campbell | Birmingham Royal Ballet/BRB2
Antonio Cortese | English National Ballet
Millán de Benito | The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme
Helle Flood | Norwegian National Ballet 2
Flynn Hallworth | Queensland Ballet
Marcus Harvey | Northern Ballet (until January 2027), Queensland Ballet
Layla Hotham | Ballet Sibiu
Sophia Koo | Birmingham Royal Ballet/BRB2
Alecsia Maria Lazarescu | The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme
Cian-You Lin | Ballett Zürich Junior Company
Aislynn Loptson | Junior Ballet Antwerp
Emma Lucano | The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme
Ivan Malaguti | The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme
Elliott Martin | Ballett Zürich Junior Company
Anna Nouvenne | Ballett Zürich Junior Company
Yusuke Otake | Nashville Ballet
Addison Partlow | Birmingham Royal Ballet/BRB2
Julian Pecoraro | Finnish National Ballet Youth Company
Killian Rudd | Finnish National Ballet Youth Company
Martha Savin | Birmingham Royal Ballet/BRB2
Sophie Schulten | The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme
Nanoha Shigeoka | Hungarian National Ballet
Samantha Striplin | Boston Ballet II
Azusa Tanaka | Czech National Ballet
Denis Teixeira | Birmingham Royal Ballet/BRB2
Fabrizzio Ulloa Cornejo | The Royal Ballet Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme
Wendel Vieira Teles Dos Santos | American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
Dylan Weinstein | Dutch National Ballet Junior Company
Shiori Yamashita | Ballet Ireland
Before they embark on professional careers around the world, all graduating students will take the stage one last time as members of the School in a special centenary edition of the annual Summer Performances.
The class of 2026 will perform David Bintley‘s Beauchamp’s Garden, Ninette de Valois’s Checkmate Suite, Christopher Wheeldon‘s Christening Suite and Peter Wright‘s Swan Lake Act III at Opera Holland Park from 8-11 July and the Royal Opera House main stage on 18 July 2026, performances marking the culmination of their journey at The Royal Ballet School.
A statement from the RBS reads:
The Royal Ballet School’s vision for the next 100 years is that it remains a place where students thrive artistically, physically and mentally, emerging ready to lead the global dance community with excellence and resilience. This graduating year stands within a century of artists shaped by the School. We wish them all the best for this next exciting chapter as they go on to help shape the future of our art form.
