Banner advertising the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Hippodrome
The Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) is one of the UK's foremost ballet companies, based at the Birmingham Hippodrome in Birmingham, where it enjoys custom-built facilities such as the Jerwood Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Dance Injuries and the Patrick Centre, a studio theatre.
1931: Ninette de Valois founds a company at Sadler's Wells Theatre. It is known as the Vic-Wells Ballet as it performs both at Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Old Vic Theatre in London.
1940: Sadler's Wells Theatre is bombed during World War II and consequently the company begins to tour widely throughout the country. At this point the name of the company is changed to the Sadler's Wells Ballet.
1946: The company is invited to become the resident company of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. De Valois therefore decides to found a second company called Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet at Sadler's Wells Theatre.
1951: Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet undertakes a highly successful tour of the USA.
1955: Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet temporarily loses its link with Sadler's Wells Theatre and bases itself with its sister company at the Royal Opera House.
1956: A Royal Charter is bestowed on both companies and their joint school. The Sadler's Wells Ballet becomes The Royal Ballet and Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet becomes the Touring Company of The Royal Ballet.
1970: The Touring Company returns to base itself at Sadler's Wells Theatre, while continuing to tour the country.
1977: The Touring Company changes its name to Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, with Peter Wright as Director.
1990: Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet moves to a new home in Birmingham and changes its name to Birmingham Royal Ballet.
1995: Peter Wright retires. David Bintley becomes Artistic Director.
1997: Birmingham Royal Ballet becomes independent of the Royal Opera House.
2002: Elmhurst School for Dance officially becomes the associate school of Birmingham Royal Ballet, moving to new premises in Edgbaston, Birmingham in 2004. Elmhurst School for Dance is the oldest vocational dance school in the United Kingdom and was previously located in Camberley, Surrey.
2004: The first of the annual "mini-tours" where-by the company splits into two and perform in small venues in the North East and South West of England. This enables the company to reach a wider audience.
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