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Support Ballet Black’s 25th Anniversary

Founded by Cassa Pancho OBE in 2001, Ballet Black set out to make a fundamental change in the diversity of mainstream classical ballet – on stage, behind the scenes, and among audiences. Twenty-five years on, our company of ten international dancers creates and performs bold, award-winning new work across the UK and beyond, from major venues such as the Barbican and Sadler’s Wells to regional theatres that rarely host classical companies, touring to 15 or more venues each year.

Our impact extends far beyond the stage. Through our subsidised Junior School and Junior Associate Programme, we provide high-quality training for more than 250 young people aged 3-18, led by teachers of diverse heritage. Running these programmes costs around £100,000 a year, and we award approximately £16,000 annually in scholarships to ensure financial hardship is never a barrier to participation.

As we enter our 25th year, Ballet Black continues to nurture the next generation of dancers and choreographers, commission new and original ballets, and challenge perceptions of who belongs in ballet. But as a small charity without core funding, we rely on the generosity of our friends and supporters to make this work possible.

To mark our 25th anniversary, we’re aiming to raise £25,000, a quarter of what it costs each year to run our school programmes for over 250 young dancers across three locations. This is our first milestone towards a longer-term ambition of £250,000, which would help secure touring, training and new work for years to come.

£25 contributes towards a scholarship place – each one costs £350, and we provide up to 50 every year

£50 helps towards the cost of pointe shoes for our company – around £12,000 a year keeps our dancers performing at their best

£100 contributes towards bringing a performance to a regional theatre where each touring date costs around £10,000, and we visit 15 or more venues across the UK every year

Your donation will help sustain our dancers, support new creative voices, and ensure we can continue inspiring audiences and young people across the UK for the next 25 years and beyond.

Every gift makes a difference. Thank you for helping Ballet Black thrive.