London is home to some of best ballet companies such as the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet at the Royal Opera House. As a student, you can sign up for the Young ROH scheme for under 25s to get many front row tickets at discounted prices. My home university is in Virginia, USA, where I didn’t have many opportunities to watch ballets from world-renowned companies. When I came to LSE, I had to make the most of the experience and take advantage of the access to famous ballets with international ballet companies. Here are the top three ballets that are a must-watch for everyone. Don’t wait until you’re older to get into ballet. It is a beautiful art form that everyone can appreciate!

Swan Lake

This ballet tells the love story between Prince Siegfried and the Swan Queen, Odette. As a result of an evil curse, Odette can only become a human between midnight and daybreak. The spell can be broken only with true love. Meanwhile, the sorcerer transforms his daughter into Odette for her to attend the Prince’s birthday party. The Black Swan pas de deux (dance for two people) is seductive and mysterious compared to the White Swan pas de deux’s innocent appeal. Danced to the glorious Tchaikovsky score, the viewer will be delighted by the fancy costumes, amazing music, and romantic twists.

Giselle

This tragic ballet tells the love story between Duke Albrecht and the peasant maid Giselle. Albrecht pretends to be a peasant himself to get closer to Giselle. The duke falls in love with Giselle and pursues her relentlessly. Innocent Giselle believes in the Duke’s oath of love and is heartbroken when it is revealed that her lover is actually a betrothed Duke. Giselle ultimately dies and is buried deep in the forest. However, her love lives on to protect the love of her life. The ballet is accompanied by Adam Adolfe’s graceful music score.

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is one of the best ways for you to enjoy the festive season in the winter. The ballet tells the story of Clara who receives a magical Nutcracker doll during the Christmas Eve party from a magician. The magician transforms the drawing room into an epic battle between mice and toy soldiers. During the battle, Clara saves the Nutcracker’s life by breaking a magical spell that turned him from a boy to a toy, and defeats the Mouse King. She is later rewarded by the Sugar Plum Fairy. Unfortunately, the ballet was cancelled last year due to Covid-19 but stay tuned for this year’s Christmas season!

Don’t wait until you’re older to get into ballet. It is a beautiful art form that everyone can appreciate!