Sing, Dance, Leap was a major schools programme to inspire the creativity of young people across Bradford.

Led by the Royal Ballet and Opera, Opera North and Northern Ballet, Sing, Dance, Leap was the biggest moment of mass participation created by and for young people commissioned by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. For many of the children involved, this was their first time ever experiencing ballet and opera.

Using ballet, opera and the arts to teach children how to creatively express how they feel about themselves and their city, Sing, Dance, Leap celebrated Bradford’s rich cultural history through the eyes of the city’s young people. The thoughts and feelings of the Bradford primary school students involved inspired and shaped the original music by Will Todd, lyrics by Kadijah Ibrahiim, and choreography by Carlos Pons Guerra featured in a final performance at Bradford Live.

Joining the thousands of Bradford students to bring the performance to life were a group of renowned local and international artists, including dancers from The Royal Ballet and Northern Ballet, professional opera singers, and Opera North’s chorus and orchestra.

One of the artists involved in Sing, Dance, Leap, Tom Whitehead, is a Bradford-born Royal Ballet dancer who returned to his hometown for the project.