Star dancers of the future pay tribute to ballet pioneers

The performance is created by the celebrated choreographer Carlos Acosta and presented by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s company for young dancers, BRB2.

Titled Carlos Acosta’s Ballet Celebration: Diaghilev and the Birth of Modern Ballet, the show features highlights from the repertory of Sergei Diaghilev's troupe of rebel dancers, musicians and designers who fled Russia in the early 20th century to set a new standard in creativity that inspires and resonates across the world of dance to this day.

The first half of the programme features Les Sylphides and the second half includes Scheherazade pas de deux; a solo and pas de deux from Les Biches, Le Spectre de la rose and Firebird pas de deux.

The programme pays tribute to Mikhail Fokine and the seminal works he created at the beginning of the last century. The choreography, sets and costumes remain faithful to Fokine’s original vision. Les Sylphides will be danced to live piano, and the remainder of the programme to a recording made by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia exclusively for this tour.

BRB2 puts the spotlight on some of the best ballet dancers from across the globe aged 18 to 22. The majority of the first two cohorts subsequently joined the main company.

The newest BRB2 dancers, John Fontanini (Florida, USA, Princess Grace Academy), Yasemin Kayabay (Istanbul, Turkey, Royal Ballet School) and Yoli Meurisse (UK, English National Ballet School), join Charlotte Cohen (Australia, Royal Ballet School), Andrea Riolo (Malta, Royal Ballet School), Ellyne Knol (Netherlands, Royal Conservatoire in The Hague) and Ixan Llorca Ferrer (Cuba, Escuela Nacional de Ballet Fernando Alonso).

The young company take to the Derngate stage on Saturday May 23 with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets cost from £15. Call 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk to book.