Hong Kong Ballet’s Year of Highs & Lows

Kevin Ng January 05, 2026 11:35

Just two days before the end of 2025, the unexpected news was announced that the Hong Kong Ballet has not been renewed as a venue partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre after March 2026. Hong Kong Dance Company has instead been selected as the dance company for this venue. This must be quite a blow to the Hong Kong Ballet, though nobody knows the criteria used by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s (LCSD) in deciding to drop the company as a venue partner after 16 years.

Another successful company that has not been renewed is the Wind Mill Grass Theatre which was a venue partner of the Kwai Tsing Theatre for 16 years. Both companies have been included since 2009 when the venue partnership scheme was launched. Venue partners normally have priority in booking dates in each venue.

It is ironic that this news ended what has been a triumphant year for Hong Kong Ballet. The company undertook three overseas tours – to the prestigious Lincoln Center in New York City, to Seoul, and Singapore - as well as to Shanghai. The company premiered a most original and outstanding new creation “Frida” in March, as well as a fine new production of the classic “Giselle” in June with a nice assortment of four international stars. Hong Kong Ballet has certainly attained new heights under its present artistic director Septime Webre. In autumn, their international stars gala was spectacular as usual, and sold out quickly.

On 28 December, the Hong Kong Ballet marked the 100th performance of its present production of “The Nutcracker” by Septime Webre which was premiered five years ago. It was quite a feat this Christmas season, as the company danced as many as 22 performances in the space of two weeks, almost like the run of a musical.

I attended the second last performance and was amazed that the dancers betrayed no sign of exhaustion. There was more cohesiveness and polish in the company’s performances compared to last year.

The new characters this year were the twin pandas of the Hong Kong Ocean Park, Jia Jia and De De. Also a Star Ferry, another symbol of Hong Kong, made its debut this year to transport Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to the blossoming forest in Act 2. I still find it odd that the duet at the end of Act 1 is danced by the Snow King and Queen, instead of by Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as an emotional resolution which would have made more sense dramatically. But it is only a minor quibble.

Particular standouts in this excellent performance were Yang Ruiqi as a graceful Clara, and Yonen Takano who dazzled as the Snow King. In the Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux, Albert Gordon danced with a commendable effortless ease. Kim Eunsil was technically superb as the Sugar Plum Fairy, but she did not have the inner radiance and musicality that Ye Feifei had. Unfortunately, Ye Feifei, who danced this role when this production was premiered in 2021, was injured, and could not dance this holiday season.

This unique Hong Kong version of “The Nutcracker” has proved successful. In 2024, this production won the UNESCO’s Star of Outstanding Award and the Spirit of Culture Award at the 12th Spirit of Hong Kong Awards. These awards confirm the company’s excellence in production quality and its unwavering commitment to education and outreach.

It is regrettable that the LCSD has not rewarded the Hong Kong Ballet by continuing its venue partnership with the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Hong Kong Dance Company is not in the same league as Hong Kong Ballet in terms of international profile. It will be more difficult for Hong Kong Ballet in future to find another suitable venue, and also to book suitable dates to tie in with the busy schedules of international choreographers and ballet stars.

When asked about this change in the venue partnership scheme (VPS), Heidi Lee, the executive director of Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) responded to me, “It is not surprising. 16 years of cooperation is a significant period, during which HKB has grown rapidly. The seven weeks of performance slots traditionally offered by the Cultural Centre under the VPS each year are no longer sufficient to meet our demand, and the latest allocation under that scheme has been reduced to five weeks. The LCSD is also aware that HKB has been actively seeking partnerships with venues beyond the LCSD.” The West Kowloon Cultural District immediately springs to mind as a possible venue.

Lee continued, “Moreover, HKB has already maximised the existing facilities of the Cultural Centre, making change inevitable. And HKB sees this as an opportunity for growth.” One hopes that this change in venue arrangement will spur the company further to new heights.

For now, what is reassuring is that the company has already secured the dates for the whole year of 2026 up to the Christmas Nutcracker season at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Photo by Tony Luk – HK Ballet in Nutcracker

Kevin Ng

veteran dance critic