Master Teacher and Coach,
Former Principal Dancer
with The Royal Ballet,
Lecturer, Published Author
Leanne Benjamin is widely recognized as one of the most sought-after coaches internationally. She serves as Principal Coach of The Royal Ballet and Guest Coach for leading companies and schools worldwide.
Celebrated for her dramatic intensity, musicality, and refined classical technique, Benjamin danced most of the classical repertoire as well as created leading roles in works by choreographers including Kenneth MacMillan, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, and Alexei Ratmansky.
She retired from the stage in 2013 after more than two decades as one of The Royal Ballet’s defining artists.
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Appointed OBE and AM for her services to dance, Leanne continuously inspires new generations through her leadership, artistry, and commitment to excellence. Leanne honours include the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement and the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Female Dancer (twice).
As a motivational speaker, Leanne has addressed audiences in Britain and Australia on themes that include advice for dancers and broader reflections on women in society and culture. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Queensland.
In 2021, Leanne published her autobiography, Built for Ballet.
Born in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, Leanne Benjamin is widely recognised as one of the most outstanding Royal Ballet ballerinas of her generation. She trained locally with Valeria Hansen before moving to London at sixteen to study at The Royal Ballet School. Within two years, she won both the Adeline Genée Gold Medal and the Prix de Lausanne.
Benjamin began her professional career with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, becoming Principal in 1987, before joining London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) and later Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin, where she worked closely with Kenneth MacMillan on Different Drummer. At his encouragement, she returned to London to join The Royal Ballet in 1992, becoming Principal the following year.
add praise from The Telegraph
From 2016 to 2024, Benjamin served as a Governor of the Royal Ballet Companies, acting as Vice Chair from 2020. In 2019 Leanne was awarded the inaugural Agent-General Queensland Day Award, and in 2022 she was nominated Australian of the year. In May 2023 Leanne represented Australia at the Coronation of King Charles III.
In 2023 she became Artistic Director of UK Young Classical Dancer competition, and in 2024 served as Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet.
Leanne is Patron and Chair of the Dance Board of the Tait Memorial Trust, which administers the Leanne Benjamin Awards supporting Australian and New Zealand dancers training in the UK.