Marianela Nuñez (Odette (Swan Lake); Kitri (Don Quixote); Myrtha (Giselle)); Edward Watson (Rudolf (Mayerling)); Sergei Polunin (Jack/Knave of Hearts (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)); Sarah Lamb (Elite Syncopations; Limen; Perdita (The Winter's Tale)); Mara Galeazzi (Mary Vetsera (Mayerling)); Tamara Rojo (Manon (Manon)); Carlos Acosta (Des Grieux (Manon); Basilio (Don Quixote)); Alina Cojocaru (Giselle (Giselle)); Natalia Osipova (Odile (Swan Lake)); Roberta Marquez (Lise (La fille mal gardée)); Steven McRae (Colas (La fille mal gardée); Florizel (The Winter's Tale); The Prince (The Nutcracker)); Katie Derham (Presenter (Essential Royal Ballet))

This box set includes a special collection of classic performances from The Royal Ballet. In the feature-length documentary Essential Royal Ballet, Katie Derham introduces carefully curated excerpts from productions that span the history of ballet and goes behind the scenes to see what it takes to be a dancer in The Royal Ballet as they prepare to take to the stage.

With stunning solos, passionate pas de deux and jaw-dropping numbers for the corps de ballet, Essential Royal Ballet is a chance to see the Company’s much-loved dancers past and present up close. Including many favourites from the likes of Carlos Acosta, Marianela Nuñez, Natalia Osipova, Steven McRae, Francesca Hayward and Matthew Ball, the artists share stories of their life on the stage and thoughts on what these celebrated ballets mean to them.

In Pas de Deux: the ‘steps for two’ so central to the form of ballet are celebrated further in 16 exceptional examples from The Royal Ballet’s repertory. A collection from across the Company’s heritage and contemporary classics, Pas de Deux demonstrates the choreographic diversity, technical brilliance, show-stopping spectacle and artistry for which The Royal Ballet is acclaimed around the world.