Ashton Rediscovered: Enigma Variations (1968)
19 October 2025 | dancers of The Royal Ballet | coached by Samara Downs, Christopher Saunders & Edward Watson
This masterclass on Enigma Variations was given by Samara Downs, Christopher Saunders and Edward Watson, with Annette Buvoli, Téo Dubreuil, Harrison Lee and Aiden O’Brien (The Royal Ballet). An introduction and post-masterclass discussion were led by Jane Pritchard (Curator of Dance at the V&A).
Introduction to Enigma Variations from Jane Pritchard:
Edward Watson coaches Harrison Lee on the ‘Troyte’ variation, and Samara Downs and Christopher Saunders coach Annette Buvoli, Téo Dubreuil and Aiden O’Brien on the ‘Nimrod’ variation, followed by a Q&A led by Jane Pritchard with the coaches and dancers:
Ashton Rediscovered: Scène d’amour (1959)
20 January 2026 | dancers of Birmingham Royal Ballet | coached by Samara Downs
presented in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre
This masterclass on Scène d’amour was given by Samara Downs (Principal of Birmingham Royal Ballet, choreologist and current participant on the Ashton Stagers’ Programme) with Yaoquian Shang and Riku Ito (Birmingham Royal Ballet). It was followed by an ‘in conversation’ and Q&A led by Jane Pritchard (Curator of Dance at the V&A) with Samara and the dancers, Patricia Tierney (Répétiteur and Benesh Choreologist, Birmingham Royal Ballet) and Lachlan Monaghan (Birmingham Royal Ballet).
Ashton Rediscovered: Swan Lake, pas de quatre (1963)
22 February 2026 | dancers of The Royal Ballet | coached by Patrick Armand & Leanne Benjamin
This masterclass on Ashton’s Swan Lake pas de quatre was given by Patrick Armand and Leanne Benjamin, with Katie Robertson, Emile Gooding and Alejandro Muñoz (The Royal Ballet). An introduction and post-masterclass discussion were led by Jane Pritchard (Curator of Dance at the V&A).
Introduction to Swan Lake, pas de quatre from Jane Pritchard:
Patrick Armand and Leanne Benjamin coaching Katie Robertson, Emile Gooding and Alejandro Muñoz on the pas de quatre from Swan Lake, followed by a Q&A led by Jane Pritchard with the coaches and dancers:
Ashton Rediscovered: La Chatte métamorphosée en femme (1985)
31 May 2026 | Viola Pantuso, The Royal Ballet | coached by Samara Downs and Merle Park
Film and more information coming soon…