International Draft Works, The Royal Ballet’s flagship programme celebrating fledgling choreographic talent, returns to the Royal Opera House this April. This programme gives emergent choreographers a chance to showcase their work in development in the intimacy of the Linbury Theatre.
This year, Royal Ballet Choreographic Residency for the 2023-24 Season Joseph Toonga creates a new work with dancers of The Royal Ballet. Royal Ballet Principal dancer Matthew Ball also creates a new work to be performed by himself and fellow Principal Mayara Magri.
The Royal Ballet will be accompanied by emerging choreographic talent from across the globe. This year, a number of companies return to present new work: Lachlan Monaghan creates a work for Birmingham Royal Ballet, Nicola Wills creates for Opera Ballet Flanders; Lucas Lima for Norwegian National Ballet; and Madeline Squire choreographs for the Scottish Ballet.
Four new companies join The Royal Ballet for International Draft Works for the first time: Barbora Rašková creates a work for National Theatre Brno; Olmo Verbeeck Martinez choreographs for Semperoper Ballet Dresden; and Florent Melac brings a new work for the Paris Opera Ballet. Korean National Ballet also join the range of companies showcasing new choreographic talent for the first time, with a work by Lee Young-Cheol.