London’s Heathrow Airport has kicked off the holiday season with a ballet performance. The piece, titled “Reunion,” was specially choreographed for the airport by Ruth Brill. The dance comprises 239 movements, symbolizing the number of destinations one can fly to from the airport. The performance captures the joyful sentiment experienced by travelers as they return home to reunite with family and friends during the holiday season.
Ruth Brill, who choreographed the dance, is currently Choreographer and Artistic Director at the London Children’s Ballet and has previously created pieces for the English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Rugby World Cup opening ceremony.
Six dancers were chosen to perform the emotive piece. They include Sander Blommaert, former First Artist of The Royal Ballet, Shyvelle Dynot, who danced with the English National Ballet for 15 years, and Eloise Shepherd-Taylor, whose accolades include a dance role on Netflix’s Bridgerton.
Six weeks of preparation, choreography and rehearsal went into the dance, which aims to convey the huge sense of emotion and joy that many travellers feel when they finally touch down and are reunited with friends and family for the festive season.
In addition to the impromptu ballet performances, Heathrow is celebrating the festivities this year with local choir performances and visits from Santa, his elves and a polar bear from the North Pole. Passengers can capture their festive journeys through Heathrow via the airport’s resident caricaturist, or polaroid cameras in terminals. Free arts and crafts activities and chocolates will be given out to families, and Heathrow’s gift-wrapping service will be in full swing throughout December.
The Reunion will be performed in Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 Arrivals at 8am on Tuesday 5th December, and at 2pm on Tuesday 12th and Friday 22nd December.
