Wednesday 23 January 2019 marked the Topping Out Ceremony of the Royal Academy of Dance's new global headquarters at Avanton:Battersea.
RAD President Dame Darcey Bussell was joined on site by Luke Rittner, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dance, Avanton’s Managing Partner, Omer Weinberger and Cllr Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council, to mark the occasion with an exclusive ribbon-cutting dance piece led by a small group of RAD young students. The piece was specially choreographed by the RAD’s Artistic Director, Gerard Charles, to mark the significant construction milestone for the Academy’s new headquarters.The event also saw Dame Darcey take part in a ceremonial cement pour.
The new building will be completed in 2020 and will be a key moment in the year marking RAD’s centenary and an exciting new chapter in the RAD’s future as a world class leader in dance education and training. The new 60,000 sq.ft building provides almost double the footprint of the existing one, enabling it to meet increasing demand for dance classes and workshops for people of all ages and abilities. Working closely with Wandsworth Council, the RAD will also be delivering a cultural engagement strategy for the local community.
