Brecon Festival Ballet

Brecon Festival Ballet (BFB) is dedicated to enhancing community well-being and fostering social cohesion in Brecon and its surrounding areas by increasing access to and participation in the arts. The company achieves this by bringing high-quality professional dance productions accompanied by live orchestral music to local audiences.

BFB provides invaluable opportunities for local people, particularly children, to become involved in all aspects of the production. This includes inspiring young dancers by rehearsing them to the highest standard, enabling them to confidently perform alongside elite professional dancers.

In addition to promoting participation, BFB also focuses on improving the health and well-being of all involved while cultivating future audiences for dance and music in Brecon and Wales. By offering opportunities for both young people and professional performers, the company plays a key role in building aspirations within the local community.

The Nutcracker production, for example, involved a wide range of beneficiaries:

    • 23 professional dancers, including many from Mid-Wales
    • 30 professional musicians, all based in Wales, who performed Tchaikovsky’s iconic score
    • 44 young dance students from Brecon and surrounding areas who trained and performed alongside the professionals
    • 21 local adult actors and 14 local singers contributed to onstage performances
    • 34 backstage volunteers developed valuable skills in costume making, marketing, and more
    • 30-40 Friends and Patrons enjoyed priority booking and exclusive rehearsal viewings
    • 1900-2000 audience members experienced a high-quality, full-scale Christmas ballet performance

BFB’s productions not only benefit the performers and audience members but also help the local community thrive. Theatr Brycheiniog, for instance, gains full houses for the five performances, while local hospitality, retail, and visitor attractions benefit from the influx of visitors, contributing to Brecon’s growing reputation as an artistic hub.

In 2023, the Audrey Tyler Trust generously donated £1,000 to BFB to fund the creation of 12 stunning dresses for the “Waltz of the Flowers” in The Nutcracker. Made by a talented team of local volunteers, these beautiful costumes received rave reviews from audience members and enhanced the professional appearance of the production, further cementing the festival’s appeal to visitors from across Wales and the South-West UK.