Royal Ballet School students in full bloom!

Two students from The Royal Ballet Upper School participated yesterday at the launch of the Great British Garden Party at St Martin’s Courtyard, Covent Garden, a few yards from the School’s Floral Street location. The Garden Party takes place on Saturday 2 July from 12 noon to 5pm and features a range of events, including catwalk fashion shows and special drop-in courses at The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers.

The Covent Garden Flower Academy created costumes entirely made of fresh flowers for graduate year students Grete Borud Nybakken and Calum Lowden. Inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream and using hundreds of fresh flowers, Gillian Wheeler - Principal of the Covent Garden Academy of Flowers - created costumes evoking Titania and Oberon from Shakespeare’s play. The costumes were created in stunning summer pastel shades using fresh roses, lavender, ivy and twisted willow all meticulously woven together into a tutu, a sash and headdresses for the students.

Taking time out of the Summer Season currently underway at the Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House, the students posed for photographers (and astonished passers by) in positions based on The Dream – Sir Frederick Ashton’s classic ballet version of Shakespeare’s play.

Director of The Royal Ballet School, Gailene Stock AM comments:

‘It’s always a pleasure when we are able to support our neighbours’ worthy events in Covent Garden. This special project with The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers also presented us with an interesting synergy between flowers and ballet and an unusual opportunity to engage with the general public, quite literally, on the street.’

For more information about the Covent Garden Flower Academy visit: www.academyofflowers.com

Photo: Ray Tang/Rex Features