The Royal Academy of Dance has announced a major new partnership with The Frederick Ashton Foundation for the 2026 Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition.
The collaboration will immerse young dancers in the work of Sir Frederick Ashton, Founder Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, known for his elegance, lyricism and musicality. Candidates from around the world will learn an Ashton variation, supported by exclusive filmed coaching from an Ashton répétiteur and additional resources from the Foundation.
The initiative celebrates a shared mission to preserve ballet heritage while nurturing the next generation of performers.
Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, President of the RAD, said: “This partnership is a beautiful tribute to the legacy of both Dame Margot Fonteyn and Sir Frederick Ashton, a choreographer who contributed so much to the unique style of British ballet. By incorporating Ashton’s choreography into the competition, the RAD and the Foundation are ensuring Sir Fred’s genius is experienced by the next generation of young dancers worldwide. It is an evolution of The Fonteyn competition that I am incredibly proud to champion.”
Alexander Campbell, Artistic Director of the RAD, said: “The collaboration between the Royal Academy of Dance and The Frederick Ashton Foundation is a landmark moment for The Fonteyn. By bringing Ashton’s iconic choreography to our candidates, we are connecting the next generation of dancers to one of the founders of British ballet. I can’t wait to see the dancers embrace Ashton’s choreography and perform it on a world stage.”
Jeanetta Laurence, Chair of the Foundation, said: “Frederick Ashton and Margot Fonteyn shared a remarkable creative partnership that helped to define the distinctive voice of British ballet. It is therefore especially meaningful to see Ashton’s choreography included in The Fonteyn competition. This collaboration will place his work in the practice studios and ambitions of young dancers around the world, allowing them to engage with this heritage not just as history, but as part of their own artistic journey. The Frederick Ashton Foundation is delighted to honour the legacies of both Ashton and Fonteyn in this way, and to partner with the Royal Academy of Dance on this initiative.”
The Frederick Ashton Foundation works to preserve and promote Ashton’s legacy, including training répétiteurs and supporting new productions of his work. The partnership with the RAD extends this mission to a global cohort of emerging dancers.
The Fonteyn 2026 will take place in London from 31 October to 8 November. Coaching and semi-finals will be held at the RAD’s London headquarters, with the final staged at the London Coliseum.
Founded in 1931, the competition is one of the world’s most prestigious platforms for young ballet dancers and a significant stepping stone into professional careers.
Candidate applications open on 13 April 2026, with ticket information for semi-finals and finals to be released later this year.
More information can be found here.
