For almost two decades, Verdensballetten has brought ballet and classical music out of the theatre, away from plush armchairs and chandeliers and straight into the historic monuments and natural landscapes of Denmark. What began in 2008 as a single open-air event has grown into two weeks of summer performances with internationally renowned artists, a loyal audience, and dates now also planned abroad.

The unique settings have been at the core of the concept from the very beginning. The surroundings had to contribute something of their own, explains founder, host and artistic director Jens-Christian Wandt. “We were very clear that it had to be somewhere spectacular,” he says of the first performance in Skagen. “It should not just be in front of a supermarket car park. We perform under the open sky, and the setting itself becomes the scenery.”

That principle still shapes the choice of venues today, from manor parks and beaches to former prisons and hilltop landmarks. The ambition is both to give seasoned ballet audiences access to world-class performers in unusual settings and to open these art forms to people who might never otherwise seek them out.

Verdensballetten: World-class ballet beneath the open sky

From Sweden to Denmark

The origins of Verdensballetten lie in Sweden, where Wandt took part in a series of outdoor performances created in collaboration the renowned flower artist Tage Andersen. When that project came to an end, he and principal dancer Johan Kobborg saw the potential to bring the concept to Denmark. Kobborg, who had by then become a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet in London, helped give the project its first access to the international ballet world.

Today, the artistic leadership is shared by Wandt and Steven McRae, principal dancer with The Royal Ballet in London. McRae plays a key role in selecting the dancers and shaping the ballet programme. “When Steven asks people to join, they say yes,” says Wandt. “But he also chooses dancers who can handle the challenges we work with. It is not the same as standing on an indoor stage – there are other things to take into account.”

What makes some of the world’s best dancers return year after year, however, is not only the artistic level, but also the atmosphere on the tour. The company travels together, eats together and experiences the country along the way, and over time, a sense of familiarity within the group has developed.

Performance at Trelleborg, one of Denmark’s best-preserved Viking ring fortresses. | Verdensballetten: World-class ballet beneath the open sky

Performance at Trelleborg, one of Denmark’s best-preserved Viking ring fortresses.

A programme shaped by place

Contributing to the relaxed atmosphere, is also the fact that rather than staging full-length ballets, Verdensballetten builds an evening from excerpts, shorter works and specially created pieces, making for a less strenuous programme for performers.

For the audience, the repertoire provides a uniquely tailored experience, mixing recognisable classical ballet, more modern works, and new choreography made specifically to speak to the settings. “We tell the choreographers that they are working in raw surroundings, and that the piece has to enter into dialogue with nature in one way or another,” says Wandt. “It may be windy, or it may be the most beautiful sunshine, but the setting has to become part of the work.”

The surrounding experience is shaped in a similar way. Guests may arrive to picnic baskets, dinners or local hospitality packages depending on the venue, and Wandt sees this as part of the same overall intention: that from the moment people first visit the website to the moment they return home after the performance, the experience should feel coherent and welcoming. “It should not be too solemn,” he says. “People may sit with a glass of wine, they may laugh, and I guide them through the programme with a bit of humour. That is part of making it accessible.”

Host and artistic director Jens-Christian Wandt. | Verdensballetten: World-class ballet beneath the open sky

Host and artistic director Jens-Christian Wandt.

Broadening the audience

Over the years, the combination of the open sky, informal atmosphere and carefully curated programme has proved remarkably effective in doing just that, making world-class art accessible to a new audience. As an example, Wandt recalls the fishermen in Skagen who, as he puts it, had clearly been brought along by their wives. “They sat there looking as though they would much rather have been somewhere else,” says Wandt with a small laugh. “But afterwards some had tears in their eyes, and later I heard that several arranged to see ballet at the Royal Danish Theatre on a trip to Copenhagen. That is when you feel that you have succeeded in truly reaching people.”

Wandt and his colleagues are, however, not resting on their laurels. Instead, they are looking to bring the concept beyond Denmark, allowing more people to experience the magic that arises between the might of nature and the power of human artistry.

Verdensballetten: World-class ballet beneath the open sky

Web: www.verdensballetten.dk
Facebook: Verdensballetten
Instagram: @verdensballetten

Verdensballetten’s 2026 programme, running across two weeks in late July and early August, spans places as varied as Frederiksberg, Møllerup Gods, the Sand Covered Church in Skagen, Trelleborg, and Sylt in Germany. Moreover, this year sees the addition of two performances in Zürich and Lausanne, Switzerland, in late August. For the full programme and dates, see the website.

Read the feature on issuu