Ballet bellongs to everyone

Our story began with one dancer who refused to accept that excellence in ballet should be limited by background ,race or expectation.

Founded by Ben Love, Ballet Soul was created to callenge perceptions of classical ballet while celebrating the richness of African heritage, contemporary movement and diverse cultural stories. Inspired by a journey that began in Nairobi, Kenya, and continued in the United Kingdom,
Ballet Soul has become a home for artists who dare to imagine something different

We honour the discipline and beauty of classical ballet while embracing the rhyhms, traditions and storyelling of Afican and global cultures, Every production is an invitation to see ballet through a new lens - powerful, expressiv, athletic and deeply human

Our work is about more than performance .

It is about creating opportunities.
It is about building a future where talent is recognised before stereotypes.

From intimate theatres to international collaborations, Ballet Soul continues to push artistic boundaries,education programmes and community engagement.We create work that speaks to audiences of every background

This is not simply a ballet company.

It is a movement

Ballet Soul's mission is to change the perceptions of ballet, whilst delivering work that prioritises high standards and excellence. We showcase innovative work created with ballet dancers from black and ethnically diverse backgrounds. Through outreach and educational work we aim to leave a legacy that nurtures the next generation of dancers and audiences.

THE TRICKSTER........ OUR CURRENT PROJECT

A ground-breaking live performance and ‘as live’ stream that combines ballet and contemporary dance movement to create an extraordinary immersive performance that promises to captivate audiences in Kenya and the UK. Created by Ballet Soul’s Artistic Director, Ben Love, TRICKSTER brings together Ballet Soul, Kenya Cultural Centre, Kenya International Theatre Festival, Unlock Arts and Reel Soul Movies, in a unique partnership.

TRICKSTER will have its premiere as part of the prestigious Kenya International Theatre Festival, November 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, followed by its UK premiere and ‘As Live’ stream in June/July 2025 at one of the renowned London performance venues. We are positioning this thrilling collaboration as part of the British Council’s UK/Kenya Season.

We are looking for sponsors to be involved in this vibrant project, get in touch with founder Ben Love to be part of this opportunity and associate your brand with the power of dance . To find out our details of sponsorship opportunities connect with us today.

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BEN LOVE

Ben Love, the founder of Ballet Soul, was born in Nairobi, Kenya but moved to the UK as a child and grew up in Nottingham. Ben was 15 when a performance by The Dance Theatre of Harlem inspired him to begin his training in dance.

Ben made his professional debut with Dancers Anonymous at the Edinburgh Festival in 1990. He was then invited to join as a soloist with the Portuguese National Ballet, Lisbon, touring extensively in Portugal and Brazil. Ben also danced as a soloist with the London City Ballet and then with the Northern Ballet. During his time as a soloist, Ben danced many principal roles including The Rite of Spring, Scheherazade, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker and Raymonda.