After a year’s hiatus, World Ballet Day returns on Wednesday 12 November 2025, and The Royal Ballet has led the way, unveiling an ambitious program that sets the tone for this year’s global celebration.
Building on more than a decade of digital innovation, the 2025 edition moves beyond the familiar “behind the scenes” access to explore access as art, reframing inclusivity as a creative force. Under the direction of Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, and curated by Robert Binet, Artistic Director of Fall for Dance North Festival, this year’s theme of radical accessibility invites artists and audiences alike to experience ballet through new perspectives.
At the centre of The Royal Ballet’s offering is a groundbreaking collaboration between four choreographers, Sir Wayne McGregor, Tiler Peck, Bim Malcomson and Rebecca Myles Stewart, and blind artist Devon Healey, whose Immersive Descriptive Audio (IDA) allows listeners to experience dance through sound, sensation and imagination. Set to music by Max Richter, the six-minute work redefines how we perceive movement and space. Students from The Royal Ballet School will also participate, engaging with Healey’s process in a dedicated workshop.
Robert Binet describes the project as “engaging disability as an access point for all to experience ballet anew. Immersive Descriptive Audio unlocks new pathways of accessibility for blind and sighted audiences alike.”
Kevin O’Hare adds, “World Ballet Day has always been about opening doors. This year, we’re exploring new ways of approaching the creative process and inviting the world to experience what dance can be when we embrace new collaborative perspectives.”
Alongside The Royal Ballet, companies around the world including The Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, Northern Ballet, The Norwegian National Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet will share their own interpretations of the theme across digital platforms.
Viewers can tune in live on YouTube and follow the conversation via #WorldBalletDay.
For full details and streaming links, visit worldballetday.com.