Royal Ballet to feature dancer who uses a wheelchair

The Royal Ballet is to stage a performance next month in which one of its dancers will duet with a dancer who uses a wheelchair.

Joe Powell-Main, who uses crutches and a wheelchair, will appear with Royal Ballet dancer Isabel Lubach at the Greenwich+Docklands international festival.

They will perform a 10-minute piece titled 'Sleepwalker'.

Powell-Main, 24, is from Newtown, Powys, and has previously danced with Ballet Cymru.

Speaking to The Guardian, Emma Southworth, the Royal Ballet’s creative producer who commissioned the duet, said: “We know that we need to be inclusive. It’s not just about diversity of race, but also about diversity of physical ability.

"We’ve done a lot on race and gender. But I was really keen that we tackle how does disability cross into the world of ballet, which is perceived as so elite.

"We’re really just at the beginning of that, looking at not just physical disability, but things like neuro-divergence.”

The performance will take place on 10 and 11 September at Columbus Dockyard.