Royal Academy of Dance celebrates 2025 graduates at Cadogan Hall 

The Royal Academy of Dance held its annual Faculty of Education graduation ceremony on 8th September at Cadogan Hall in London, honouring the achievements of its international student body.

The event featured an address from RAD Chief Executive Elizabeth Honer CB, and Artistic Director, Alexander Campbell introducing the guest speaker, Iain Mackay, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet School. Dame Darcey Bussell, RAD President, presented graduates with their awards.

The ceremony recognised graduates from RAD’s diverse Faculty of Education programmes, reflecting the institution’s commitment to delivering excellence worldwide. The event celebrated the RAD’s long history of setting standards for over one hundred years, and its role as a dance academy delivering specialised, expert training and education in dance teaching.

Students from across the globe came together at the event, with graduates from countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Mexico.

Elizabeth Honer highlighted the significance of the occasion, emphasising the graduates’ dedication and the RAD’s ongoing mission to elevate dance education standards globally. Elizabeth said: “I am immensely proud of the 2025 graduates. What they have achieved is truly inspirational. As they embark on the next chapter of their careers, I have no doubt that they will continue to shape the future of dance and the profession of dance teaching internationally.”

Iain Mackay delivered the keynote address, sharing insights from his extensive career and offering guidance to the new graduates as they embark on or continue to develop their professional careers. He reflected poignantly on the role his RAD teacher played in his journey as a dancer, and the future opportunities graduates will have in teaching the world to dance.