English National Ballet, founded in 1950 as the "Festival Ballet" inspired by the then imminent Festival of Britain, is one of the leading ballet companies in the United Kingdom founded by Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, with the financial backing of Polish impresario Julian Braunsweg, Wayne Eagling is the current Artistic Director.

Dolin as Artistic Director gave the Company its focus as a touring organisation in its first  decade, it sought to take classical ballet to new, and established, audiences throughout the  country, at affordable prices. He also introduced outreach and education programmes to  develop new audiences; in the 1950s, Dolin and his dancers would visit schools to talk about  dance. Continuing Dolin’s work today, the Company has a dedicated Education and Community  team whose activities range from year-long projects to one-off workshops with schools and  communities nation-wide.

As well as performing the traditional ballet favourites, the National Ballet’s former  Artistic Director, Matz Skoog, emphasized new works - commissions included works by British  choreographers Michael Corder (Melody on the Move), Wayne McGregor (2 Human) and Christopher  Hampson (Double Concerto).

Matz’s work was recognised at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards in January 2004,  when the Company won the "Outstanding Repertoire" (classical category) award.

English National Ballet tours extensively throughout England and presents two high-profile  seasons in London; at the London Coliseum at Christmas and, with huge arena productions, at the Royal Albert Hall in the Summer. Overseas tours are a regular part of the annual  performance programme.

On 1 July 2007, English National Ballet performed at a Concert for the late Princess Diana at Wembley Stadium, as part of the celebrations of their former Patron’s life. The orchestra for the concert was English National Ballet’s orchestra, and the dancers also  performed as backing for Take That’s performance of "Shine".

English National Ballet has commissioned a brand new full length ballet for Autumn 2007, with choreography by Michael Corder to Prokofiev’s score for The Stone Flower adapted by Julian Philips. This will tour the UK before performances at the London Coliseum in  December.

English National Ballet is also producing Angelina Ballerina’s very first live ballet which  undertakes a 22 venue tour from September 2007, opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre. This  ballet is aimed at children from the age of 3 and features eight of the dancers of the  Company.

Senior Principal dancers are Estonian Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur, Georgian Elena Glurdjidze,  Czech Daria Klimentova, Japanese Erina Takahashiand Russian Dmitri Gruzdyev. Principal dancers are English dancers Sarah McIlroy and Simone Clarke, Chilean Cesar Morales, Cubans  Arionel Vargas, Yat-Sen Chang and Yosvani Ramos and Brazilian Fernanda Oliveira. Past dancers have included Spanish Tamara Rojo,Cuban Carlos Acosta and Italians Roberto Bolle and Ambra Vallo. Guest artists include Sofiane Sylve and Friedemann Vogel, both of whom performed Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall.