The Royal Ballet School’s 100th graduate year achieve 100% employment rate

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.

The broad range of companies in the UK and around the globe reflect the diversity of these student’s strengths, technical versatility and creative voices. 

The Pre-professional Year students of 2026 have secured the following contracts:

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.  

These performances will mark the culmination of their journey with the school and celebrate the years of dedication and passion these young artists have applied to their training. 

A statement from the RBS: '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.'