World Ballet Day LIVE returns on October 5

Five of the world’s leading ballet companies will come together for World Ballet Day on Thursday, October 5 to broadcast 20 hours of live, behind-the-scenes footage via Facebook Live, following a successful partnership with Facebook in 2016.

The Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada and San Francisco Ballet will partner for the fourth year in a row to provide viewers around the world with an exclusive look behind the scenes.

World Ballet Day is a celebration of dance and an opportunity for audiences to experience what it is like to be a part of one of the world’s top companies and to see close up the athleticism and dedication of some of the finest ballet dancers. Each company will introduce viewers to a variety of insights, from morning class to rehearsals for upcoming performances and backstage preparations. The National Ballet of Canada, who will be on tour in Paris on World Ballet Day, will be participating this year via a video transmission.

World Ballet Day 2016 saw unprecedented engagement with more than 700,000 views during the day and subsequently reached an audience of over 6.7 million on-demand. It was also a trending topic on social media around the world. Working with Facebook, World Ballet Day LIVE was able to reach an even wider audience and engage with both ballet fans and newcomers internationally. For 2017, World Ballet Day and Facebook Live will continue their partnership.

Glenn Miller, strategic partner manager for Facebook, said, “Working with World Ballet Day LIVE is a wonderful opportunity to bring ballet and dance to an international audience. Facebook is proud to be partnering with them for the second year running. World Ballet Day demonstrates how dance connects all cultures, and we are happy to be able to facilitate such a fantastic initiative.”

Tony Followell, executive producer for World Ballet Day, said, “Since the first World Ballet Day in 2014, the event has grown strength upon strength. Our aim is to demonstrate how accessible ballet can be. By allowing viewers behind the scenes to some of the top ballet companies in the world, we hope to show that ballet is for everyone.”

Viewers are encouraged to get involved using the hashtag #WorldBalletDay.

The full schedule for the day will be released closer to World Ballet Day. For more information, visit www.worldballetday.com.

Photo: San Francisco Ballet in rehearsal during World Ballet Day LIVE 2015. Photo by Erik Tomasson.