Our Mission

To inspire the pursuit of excellence and change lives through dance

LCB is both a performance company and a registered charity, producing and staging one new ballet in London’s West End each year and running outreach work throughout the year in primary schools and disadvantaged communities. LCB offers extensive training and performance opportunities for free to talented children from all backgrounds. It provides access to productions and free dance experience for those who cannot afford it, and takes ballet into the community for those who are physically unable to attend the theatre.

The charitable objective of the charity is to promote the knowledge, education and experience of the art of ballet for children in Greater London, the Home Counties and South East areas. Within this broader objective, LCB's aims are:
-To provide open access, professional level training and performance opportunities to children from all backgrounds.
-To provide career and development opportunities for dancers, musicians, composers, choreographers and designers.
-To introduce new audiences to ballet and provide access to performances of professional quality for those who cannot afford or easily access live theatre productions.
Inspiration To Excel: Young people should be inspired to achieve excellence and encouraged to be proactive in pursuit of their talent.
Access To All: Dance is life-enhancing for both participants and audience members, and access to quality performances should be available to all regardless of age, race, health or financial situation.
Fostering Creative Talent: Emerging artists (dancers, musicians, composers, choreographers, designers, musicians) should be developed, promoted and have access to career opportunities.
In 1994 Lucille Briance, Founder of LCB, was inspired by her daughters passion for ballet. The dance studio was the place her daughter transformed into a confident, focused and happy child. Unable to find a children’s ballet company, Lucille met with Daryl Jaffray, then head of education outreach for The Royal Ballet, and proposed the idea of starting one, if The Royal Ballet would advise on the choreographer.
Dancers from all social and economic backgrounds can be part of LCB and there is no financial barrier to talent. From the beginning, the Company took a holistic approach, aiming to enhance rather than compete with the child’s education and regular ballet training.
LCB looks for passionate dancers, selected on talent and engaging performance qualities. An embracing, inclusive attitude is the hallmark of LCB.
During the first performance season at The Britten Theatre, 100 tickets were given to elderly charity groups and primary schools. This programme has since expanded and we now give almost 2,000 tickets to our Ballet for £1 performances, which is generously sponsored by the Buffini Chao Foundation.
In LCB’s second year an emerging composer was commissioned to create an original score, which was their first ballet. LCB has continued to give new creative artists in design, choreography and music a unique collaborative career opportunity to create a West End ballet.
Every year LCB sells out 8,000 seats. LCB has commissioned 28 original narrative ballets and brought thousands of some of the most isolated people to see their first ballet. Every year 10,000 people experience what LCB has to offer. LCB has developed a reputation for excellence at all levels with audiences, young dancers and their families.