Chelsea Ballet

Chelsea Ballet was formed in September 1967 by Thelma Litster, former soloist of the Ballet Rambert, following the demise of the Masque Ballet Club. The group was affiliated to the Chelsea-Westminster Adult Education Institute and later to the Fulham-Chelsea AEI. After the ILEA was disbanded, members of Chelsea Ballet convinced Thelma to continue running the group. She agreed on condition that everyone helped with putting on productions, seeing that the group had become independent and self-supporting. Since that time – and being a determined group of people – Chelsea Ballet has survived and grown in strength, confidence and reputation. Sadly, Thelma died in May 2002 after a brave battle with cancer, but the legacy of Chelsea Ballet continues through her daughter, Louise Hudson.

Past performances of full-length ballets have included Coppelia; The Nutcracker; The Yellow Dwarf; The Sleeping Beauty; Giselle, Swan Lake and Cinderella. We have toured to Ireland, Swindon and Bristol on an annual basis. Chelsea Ballet is not a full-time group. Everyone involved has their own day job, from secretary, administrator and translator to seamstress, full-time mum, IT consultant and chemist, to name just a few – but everyone helps put on productions, whether on stage or behind the scenes. Chelsea Ballet does not audition, but welcomes people with a passion for ballet who have reached at least an elementary standard and have experience of pointework (for girls). However, there is a waiting list for new members at present.