- This morning, at Clapham Junction station, South Western Railway (SWR) surprised passengers with a performance from some of the Royal Academy of Dance’s top ballerinas.
- The dancers choreographed and performed a dedicated ensemble titled ‘Extended Lines’ aboard one of SWR’s new Arterio trains.
- Leaping and twirling through the carriage, the movements marked the fleet’s recent extension across all 96 stations on SWR’s suburban network, including some of London’s busiest stations.
This morning, passengers on board a South Western Railway (SWR) Arterio train at Clapham Junction were greeted with a surprise performance by the next generation of ballet dancers from the Royal Academy of Dance.
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The dancers twisted and twirled through the train carriage to celebrate the continued rollout of South Western Railway’s new Arterio fleet, which now serves all 96 stations on its suburban network.
Bringing a touch of theatre to the morning commute, the dancers showcased ‘extended lines’ through pliés, penchés, and ports de bras, delivering a beautifully timed, ‘en pointe’ performance that created the illusion of extension within their choreography.
The ensemble comprised of five ballet dancers - Mbayang Ndiaye, Lydia Asteriadi, Isabelle Drysdale, Corin Baylay-Bel, and Maddalen Bueno-Goti - all aged between fifteen to sixteen years-old and part of the Senior Scholars programme at the prestigious academy, based in Clapham Junction, on the SWR network.
As well as Clapham Junction, the 35 Arterio trains now in regular passenger service connect SWR customers from London Waterloo to stations including Dorking, Guildford, Hampton Court, Reading, Shepperton, and Windsor
Aboard the new fleet,- locals and tourists can travel into the city to experience London’s renowned cultural, arts and theatre scene in greater comfort. And - – as the dancers showed through their jetés – all with 50% more capacity than on the trains they replace.
The investment into the new fleet also brings features like Wi-Fi and charging points at every seat. As the Arterio rollout continues to gather pace, the improved service enables aspiring dancers from across the South West to travel into the capital for lessons, helping more students take their first steps, or leaps, towards their future in dance.
Elizabeth Honer, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dance said:
“With a history spanning more than a century, the Royal Academy of Dance is proud to be partnering with South Western Railway to celebrate the extension of its Arterio service. It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the ‘extended lines’ of our talented dancers while celebrating the innovation of the Arterio trains. Our mission is to inspire the world to dance - and we very much hope that our dancers inspired members of the public on the trains today!”
Peter Williams, South Western Railway’s Customer and Commercial Director said:
“Customers across our suburban network are seeing more and more Arterio trains, bringing greater comfort and, as passengers could see today, even enough space for a ballet performance! We now have 35 Arterios in service, operating on more than 400 journeys every weekday to 96 of our stations, and it was wonderful to be joined by students from the Royal Academy of Dance to celebrate these milestones.”
The RAD is considered one of the world’s largest dance schools, with a global network of over 400,000 students dancing their way to the world stage. To make a donation, visit: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/support-dance/donate/
