Luxury cruise line Cunard announced an innovative partnership with the prestigious English National Ballet for the first-ever “Dance the Atlantic” Transatlantic Crossing on board flagship Queen Mary 2, sailing from Southampton to New York, August 11-18, 2019 (M924).
Guests on the seven-night Crossing will have the opportunity to meet six lead dancers from the British ballet company, including Lead Principal Erina Takahashi and First Soloist James Streeter. Guests will also have the unique opportunity to watch the dancers’ morning ballet class and drop-in on afternoon rehearsals. A highlight of the voyage will be spectacular performances in the ship’s Royal Court Theater, including extracts from the enthralling all-time classic Swan Lake, the poignant contemporary work Dust and the stunningly visual Le Corsaire – demonstrating the huge breadth of the company’s repertoire.
“We are so excited to have the English National Ballet onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 in 2019,” said Josh Leibowitz, SVP Cunard North America. “For the first time ever, guests will be able to interact with the English National Ballet on the ocean with world-class performances and intimate experiences that will only further enhance the elegance and romance of the Cunard Transatlantic Crossing.”
In another first, dance workshops will run daily throughout the week at sea, offering a special opportunity for guests to learn directly from English National Ballet associates. There will also be Insights talks, offering a fascinating understanding of the dedication and exhilaration of the dancer’s life, along with dance-themed films and documentaries shown throughout the voyage.
“English National Ballet is thrilled to be partnering with Cunard on this exciting voyage,” said Patrick Harrison, executive director of the English National Ballet. “Guests will get to experience the joy of ballet including performances and glimpses of behind-the-scenes. We’re very much looking forward to sharing our art form with the guests on board Queen Mary 2.”
