Let’s Dance 2026 is a national campaign to get the UK dancing. Spearheaded by the Royal Academy of Dance’s Silver Swans Ambassador Angela Rippon, Let’s Dance is an opportunity to encourage everyone to experience the joy and benefits of dance.
On Sunday 8 March, the RAD will be holding a series of dance classes at its headquarters in London.
Chief Executive of the RAD Elizabeth Honer highlights the RAD’s involvement in Let’s Dance 2026 and how the event spans many generations. We sat down with Elizabeth to discuss Let’s Dance 2026.
Let’s Dance is rooted in accessibility and wellbeing. From your perspective as Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dance, what does it mean for an institution with such a long and global history to open its doors so visibly to the wider community?
It’s wonderful to be taking part in this day, welcoming people to the Royal Academy of Dance. Our very purpose is to bring dance to all, combining inclusion with excellence in dance teaching and learning. So it is really fitting to take part in this day of dance across the nation.
You speak about RAD’s mission to “inspire the world to dance.” How does a nationwide initiative like Let’s Dance 2026 help translate that mission from studios and syllabi into everyday life for people who may never have considered themselves “dancers”?
Each day, hundreds of RAD dance teachers have a positive impact on their local communities, by teaching classes in community centres, village and church halls, inspiring people to get involved. I started my own experience with the RAD, as a child, in a little church hall in the south of England. The impact of our teachers is so far-reaching – they are the ones who inspire the world to dance every day, and we are so proud of that!
The programme on 8 March spans generations—from Family Dance Movement to adult musical theatre classes. How important is it for you that dance is experienced as something intergenerational rather than age-segmented?
Intergenerational experiences are powerful – they strengthen bonds between different cultures, communities and ages. We believe in inspiring the world to dance for a reason – dance gives people with skills for life, it builds confidence, self-expression, teamwork, spatial awareness, and it builds communities. That is even more powerful when it spans generations, seeing people share the joy that dance offers.
Let’s Dance was founded by Angela Rippon, who is also RAD’s Silver Swans ambassador. What do initiatives like Silver Swans reveal about how perceptions of ageing and movement are changing within the dance world?
As a proud Silver Swan myself, and as someone who has had a double hip operation, I can certainly attest to the value of continuing to dance as you get older. With my fellow Silver Swans I have seen first-hand the physical, mental and social wellbeing it brings, really improving our overall well-being. There is growing recognition within the dance sector and beyond that movement is integral to health, identity and community as we age, and this is something we are proud to support.
The Silver Swans’ appearance at Seasoned celebrates older dancers whose creativity has evolved over a lifetime. What do these performers teach us—both artistically and humanly—about longevity, resilience and joy in movement?
The Silver Swans performance at Seasoned will exemplify that dance is not about age, but about expression, connection and joy in movement.