Ben Love
Founder of Ballet Soul, Artistic Director and Choreographer.
Ballet Soul is one of the few ballet companies that has combines African movement styles with classical ballet and traditional dance. Ballet Soul aims to bring opportunity and empowerment by providing opportunities to be actively involved in ballet production, bringing ballet to new audiences.
I started with a scholarship at the Arts Education School in London and New York. Further ballet training lead me to became the first black male lead dancer with major European ballet companies including the Portuguese National Ballet, London City Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, Norwegian National Ballet.
I recognised the gap in diversity in ballet education and representation which drove me to establish Ballet Soul.
Ballet Soul carries a mission of innovation, multicultural influence and artistic creativity to others around London and the UK. Ballet Soul encourages a rounded approach to being involved with the performance arts by encouraging participation in technical and creative aspects of ballet performances to stage.
From workshops, Summer Schools, one-to-one training, ground breaking performances and in-school workshops based on curriculum needs, we offer a broad practical dance education and opportunity to develop technical, musical and performance skills.
As part of the educational program, Ballet Soul has worked in various schools, teaching ballet and contemporary dance and providing opportunities to take workshops into schools to discuss ballet as part of the curriculum. I had the privilege of being a guest teacher in Paris at innovative Studio Harmonique and nationally at London’s world-famous Royal Ballet School.
Ballet Soul is focused on a wide and diverse audience that reflects the aspirations of young people from African / Caribbean and adults across London. Building off of my own African background, Ballet Soul’s work is focused on bringing opportunities to kids from underprivileged backgrounds and create equal opportunities in local communities.
We are planning to involve a different type of audience - from young children, teenagers to semi-professionals (5-35). We aim to reflect the diversity of UK by working with our multi-cultural students on material that is relevant, contemporary or classic but with a modern twist. Ballet Soul has worked with kids from difficult backgrounds and kids with mental health issues to bring dance and the arts into their lives.
Audience continues to expand with work being performed at the Royal Opera House, Sadler's Wells Theater, and the English National Ballet featuring dancers from across the UK.
Ballet Soul seeks to enrich communities and cultivate a new generation of diverse talent.
