Where to Watch English National Ballet this Christmas

This Christmas, take ballet home with you as we guide you through a curated showcase of timeless classics and contemporary masterpieces. Here’s where you can watch English National Ballet at home this Christmas:

On Sky Arts

This Christmas, Sky Arts goes behind the curtain of our brand new Nutcracker with a new series, Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet, showcasing what it takes to re-invent a globally renowned classic, seen through the eyes of all the key departments involved.  Join the Company’s own Artistic Director and Choreographer, Aaron S. Watkin, and Olivier Award-winning Choreographer, Arielle Smith, as well Designer, Dick Bird, the principal dancers, musicians, Music Director and costumiers as they unpack their craft and prepare to stage this iconic ballet. Two documentaries follow the meticulous preparations and the all-important rehearsals which build to the opening night. Audiences can then tune in to the full performance of Nutcracker, captured in all its magic at the London Coliseum.

Nutcracker  holds a special place in English National Ballet’s history and in the hearts of our audiences. In 1950, we were one of the first UK companies to introduce the production into our repertoire and we have performed a version every year since. It’s wonderful to be able to open up the world of ballet as we work to bring new magic and wonder to this much-loved piece, offering real insight into what happens behind-the-scenes as a new production makes its way to the stage.

Aaron S. Watkin

The three-part series Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet will be broadcast weekly from 9th December on Sky Arts.

On the BBC

Swan Lake in-the-round comes to the BBC this Christmas Season! Enjoy Derek Deane’s exquisite in-the-round choreography from never-seen-before angles, bringing you closer to this beloved ballet. Captured on a grand scale at the Royal Albert Hall, with live music from the English National Ballet Philharmonic, this film is the perfect Christmas treat for the whole family. Head to BBC Two at 12:50-15:00 on Christmas Day.

On Ballet on Demand

Dive into a world of grace, enchantment, and drama with Ballet on Demand – our streaming platform offering a range of world-class dance films. Here are some of our most popular titles:

Akram Khan’s Giselle

Akram Khan’s Giselle has been acclaimed as a masterpiece of 21^st century dance, astounding audiences since its debut in 2016 – including this year during a recent UK tour.

Khan’s celebrated reinterpretation masterfully meshes classical dance with bold strokes of contemporary innovation. The iconic Romantic ballet moves into the modern world, where Giselle (danced by Tamara Rojo) is one of a community of migrant factory workers.

Immerse yourself in the haunting story of love, betrayal and redemption in a contemporary retelling, with a powerful new score, costumes, and brilliant choreography.

Here’s what audiences have said about Akram Khan’s Giselle:

Absolutely awesome! So many magnificent and fascinating moving pictures the choreographer is painting with these stunning dance ensemble. Many many shivers, thank you!

Verena

Gripping, original interpretation of the great ballet. The Wilis were truly frightening. Loved that Giselle could be so tender with Albrecht at the end instead of ghostly and remote. Thank you for making it available.

Cynthia

My First Ballet: Swan Lake (also available Audio-Described)

Specially adapted for children (aged 3+), My First Ballet: Swan Lake is the perfect treat for all the family to enjoy.

With a narrator to help follow the story, a shortened version of Tchaikovsky’s wonderful music, beautiful dancing by students from English National Ballet School, and all the elegant costumes you could wish for, this is the perfect introduction to the joy of live ballet. It follows the princess Odette, who’s been turned into a swan by the magician Rothbart. Will Prince Siegfried be able to save her, or will he fall for Rothbart’s sorcery? Find out this holiday season! An audio-described option is also available.

Akram Khan’s Creature

Based on our acclaimed production choreographed by Akram Khan, and directed by Academy Award-winning director Asif Kapadia (Senna, Amy, The Warrior), Creature is a genre-busting collaboration that fuses film and contemporary dance.

It tells the story of an outsider and the search for belonging. The titular Creature (in an unforgettable performance by award winner Jeffrey Cirio) has been conscripted by a military brigade into a bold new experimental programme. Confined to a dilapidated Arctic research station, he is being tested for his mental and physical ability to adapt to extreme cold, isolation and homesickness – vital qualities in mankind’s proposed colonisation of the final frontiers, on earth and beyond. In humanity’s fight for survival, who will be left behind?

Creature is one of The Guardian’s top 50 films of 2023: experience its power on Ballet on Demand.

Swan Lake

Let Swan Lake transport you to a world of timeless elegance. With its iconic choreography and score, Swan Lake stands showcases the enduring power of classical ballet.

Be swept up in the romance of Prince Siegfried (Isaac Hernández) and Swan Princess Odette (Jurgita Dronina), and the drama of their battle against the evil sorcerer Rothbart. When the stage transforms into an enchanted lakeside, revel in the magnificent sight of ballerinas in white tutus moving in unison: one of classical ballet’s most iconic images. Beloved for its superb dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, Derek Deane’s Swan Lake has delighted audiences worldwide for over two decades: watch this classic from home today!

Manon

Enter the grand theatre of emotions with Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, where love, decadence, and destiny unfold in a poignant balletic symphony.

This production takes you into 18^th century France to tell the story of Manon Lescaut (danced by Alina Cojocaru, in one of her signature roles), her blooming love for a penniless student (Joseph Caley) and their quest to escape poverty.

This is ballet at its most dramatic and affecting – full of twists, compelling characters, gasp-inducing love duets and large-than-life scenes, all set to a haunting score by Jules Massenet, played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

Absolutely beautiful. The dancing was amazing especially Alina Cojocaru. I was reduced to tears at the end in the best possible way.

Carole

Take your pick or watch them all! Wishing you a very happy holidays from everyone at English National Ballet!