On Tour with the dancers

Being on tour with ‘A Night of Royal Elegance 2018’ gives you the rare and unique opportunity to mingle with the stars of the performance (from The Royal Ballet), gain insight into what it is like to be a professional dancer on tour and socialise with other dance enthusiasts your own age, from other countries, who share the same love and passion for dance as you do.

While on Tour you will get to see the behind the scenes aspects of the performance and gain access to its dancers like you have never experienced before. Moreover, you will be getting to see the world’s best dancers perform live on stage in Tokyo from the very best seats in the house.

During the tour you will enjoy an onstage Dress Rehearsal and Fan Meeting where you will get to spend a relaxed time chatting and having fun with the dancers. You will also attend a 3-day Dance Tours’ Adult workshop based on the British style (which is the basis of the gala itself) and have the unique opportunity to be taught by dancers from ‘A Night of Royal Elegance’.

Dance Tours’ “A Night of Royal Elegance” invites you to experience the very best cultural and educational tourism Japan has to offer. You will enjoy sightseeing excursions and the culture activities in the very heart of the nation’s capital, Tokyo, all in a safe and fully supervised environment.

You will visit some of Japan’s world-renowned tourist destinations and experience centuries old temples, castles and historical monuments.

You will also enjoy typical Japanese experiences provided by local people. You will also experience eating out in Japanese restaurants and be tempted by some of Japan’s most famous shopping locations.

Testimonial
“First class training and education, fabulous sightseeing opportunities and cultural events and well organised, but jam packed schedules, have always presented my students with fabulous knowledge of the industry and a lifetime of wonderful memories. I look forward to a longstanding professional relationship with Dance Tours well into the future and highly recommend students and dance studios alike, take up every opportunity to attend their workshops. Australia.

YOUR DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

Day 1 Sunday 26th Aug

International Outbound Flight

Today you will arrive into one of the major airports in Tokyo. On arrival into Japan and having cleared customs you will be met by a Dance Tours’ representative who will hand you your welcome pack and escort you to your hotel. You can spend the rest of the day relaxing after your long flight.

Tokyo

Limousine Bus

With a population of around 16 million people in Tokyo’s crowded capital, the Limousine bus affords the fastest, most convenient and pleasant way to travel from Narita or Haneda airport to your hotel in Central Tokyo.

Hotel Description

Our hotel accommodation allows guests to enjoy spectacular views of Tokyo. Come and enjoy the ultimate Tokyo experience. 3-4-star international style hotel accommodation in the heart of Tokyo within walking distance from shops and local amenities. It is approximately 1hr by train from Narita Airport.
The Hotel accommodation includes breakfast.

All the rooms are fully equipped with their own En-Suite bathroom, television, radio and refrigerator, including Tea/Coffee making facilities, Hair dryer and Iron & Trouser press on request. Towels and bed linen are included. WiFi is available free in the hotel. The Hotel has its own vending machines.

Day 2 – Monday 27th AUG

After breakfast travel to Kamakura.

Kamakura

Kamakura, the birth place of classical ballet in Japan is a coastal town less than an hour south of Tokyo. This small city and a very popular tourist destination, sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, offers numerous temples, shrines and other historical monuments. The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kamakura Daibutsu) With a height of 13.35 meters, it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan.

Dance Tours Japan Workshop - Day 1

Adults Only Dance Class

Dance Tours’ students will participate in a 3-day workshop in Tokyo, hosted by Dance Tours. During the workshop students will have the unique opportunity to be taught by Principal dancers from The Royal Ballet. This is normally the dancer’s favourite class to teach because of the fun everyone has. All of the dancers have had plenty of experience teaching Adult ballet classes to both men and women and are fully capable to structure any class to fit the level of ability and understanding of each group.

Each student will receive the same level of care and instruction from our guest teachers. Our classes are designed to give training and understanding of ballet technique based on the B ritish style, and give you a pleasurable versatile way to exercise and keep fit, whilst having fun enjoying what you love doing most.

This is also a unique opportunity to benefit from cultural exchange and to learn about the adult dance scene in Japan. It is also a chance to meet other dancers and make long-term friendships with other adult dance enthusiasts, from other countries, who share the same love and passion for dance as you do.

Dinner with the dancers

Dinner with the dancersHave the opportunity to share an amazing traditional Japanese meal with members of the cast. Get to know them better as people and discuss everything you want to know of their professional lives in a very intimate and relaxed environment. We can guarantee an amazing meal and plenty of laughs.

Make some special memories in this unique and beautiful country with your favourite artists.

Day 3 –Tuesday 28th AUG

After breakfast, you will spend the morning and early afternoon exploring the heart of the nation’s capital, its shopping, parks and busy streets.

Sensoji Temple

Visit Sensoji Temple, Tokyo’s most visited temple with its 55m five-storey Pagoda. Shop to your heart’s content in the temple’s precinct shopping street, Nakamise-dōri, where you will find everything from tourist trinkets to genuine Edo-style crafts being sold.

Experience Japanese cuisine at a local restaurant for lunch.

Tokyo River Cruise & Hama Rikyu National Gardens

See the sites of Tokyo by boat. Enjoy a boat cruise along Tokyo River to the Hama Rikyu National Gardens where you will experience one of the most beautiful typical style Japanese gardens on display in Tokyo. Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea while looking out onto the relaxing Japanese garden.

Dance Tours Japan Workshop - Day 2

Day 4 – Wednesday 29th AUG

Yoyogi park and Meiji Shrine

Yoyogi Park is one of Tokyo’s largest and most pleasant city parks featuring wide lawns, ponds and forested areas. It is a great place for picnicking and other outdoor activities. The opulent Meiji Shinto Shrine is one of the most popular shrines in Tokyo known for its towering gate and surrounding forests.

Shibuya Crossing

Rumoured to be the world’s busiest, this intersection in front of Shibuya Station ‘Shibuya crossing’ is famously known as ‘The Scramble’. It’s an awesome spectacle of giant video screens and neon, guaranteed to give you a 'Wow – I'm in Tokyo!' feeling. People come from all directions at once – sometimes over a thousand with every light change – yet still manage to dodge each other with a practiced, nonchalant agility. The time that it takes for the light to go from red to green again, all corners have replenished their stock of people – like a video on a loop. It's a prime photo opportunity.

Shopping in Tokyo

Tokyo shopping has it all, from high-end to offbeat fashion, traditional crafts, vintage wares, all manner of only-in-Japan souvenirs, and that gadget you didn't know existed but now desperately want. Whether you prefer department-store browsing or rummaging for secondhand treasures, there’s a Tokyo neighborhood to meet your shopping needs. Including visiting some of Japan’s most famous dancewear shops.

Dance Tours Japan Workshop - Day 3

Day 5 - Thursday 30th AUG

General Rehearsal & Back Stage Tour

During the day you will visit the backstage areas of the theatre to see the technical teams preparing the stage for the evening performance. You will also observe the dancers doing their warm-up onstage and have the chance to observe the final rehearsal before the opening night. Before the run there will be a brief introduction of the dancers and a synopsis of the performance given by the director of Dance Tours, Justin Meissner.

Dance_Tours_Productions_Royal_elegance_night
Opening Performance of ‘A Night of Royal Elegance 2018’ Japan, Tokyo

Day 6 – Friday 31st AUG

Shinkansen

The Shinkansen (“bullet train”) is a network of High-speed railway lines in Japan The network presently links most major cities in Japan with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h. You will travel first class (Green Car) on this remarkable train from Tokyo to Kyoto. On a clear day you will be able to see Mt. Fuji in the distance.

Kyoto Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines

Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a refined city on the island of Honshu with thousands of classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It is also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of specific dishes and geisha, (female entertainers) are often seen in the Gion district.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is perhaps the most popular of the temples. The expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression "to take the plunge".

Kinkaku-ji Temple, "The Golden Pavilion," is a breathtaking must-see. The temple's garden is a scenic delight and contains in its grounds a charming teahouse. The image of the temple richly adorned in gold leaf reflects beautifully in the water of Kyokochi, the mirror pond. It is perhaps the most widely-recognized image of Kyoto.

If time permits, escape the busy city to appreciate the tranquil beauty of Japan's rural landscape. Stroll through dense bamboo forest to hidden mountain temples and discover centuries of Japanese heritage.

Day 7 – Saturday 1st Sept.

Final Performance of ‘A Night of Royal Elegance'

Before the show enjoy a Pre-show talk given by one of the dancers.

Fan Meeting - Final performance celebration

Sarah_Lamb_A_Royal_Nigth_of_Elegance_fan_meeting

This is a great event and a wonderful way to interact with all the dancers in an intimate, relaxed, and friendly environment. Listen to them talk about themselves and the show and answer questions from the audience. The director of Dance Tours, Justin Meissner will be the host speaker for the evening.

After there will be plenty of time for you to ask questions and chat with the dancers one to one. Here you can also have your photograph taken and get your programme signed all while enjoying some food and drink.

During the event you will also have the opportunity to meet and socialise with other dance enthusiasts from Japan who share the same interest and love for ballet as you do.

A_Royal_Night_of_Elegance_fan_meeting_Japan

Day 8 - Sunday 2nd Sept

Tokyo to home destination

Check out of your hotel, travel back to Narita or Haneda airport in time for your International flight home.

As part of the tour package, a Dance Tours’ chaperone (with bilingual skills) will be provided for all scheduled activities. You will never be required to travel on public transport unsupervised to any arranged scheduled activity.

For an additional supplement to the group, Dance Tours is happy to arrange for your group a Chaperone to escort your group to dinner in the evening. Please inform us at least one day in advanced to avoid disappointment.

Places are limited, so in order not to be disappointed we recommend you book early. A 50% deposit per person is required at the time of booking. Please read our terms & conditions carefully on our website.

Note:

Programmes may be subject to changes based on availability, weather conditions and other reasons beyond Dance Tours’ control. We do our best to ensure that changes do not occur. Any changes that do take place you will be notified in advanced. If any scheduled activity or dance class needs to be changed Dance Tours will do its best to ensure it is replaced with another activity or class of the same quality and equal value to guarantee your experience is not affected.

The price of the tour starts from £3600 (excluding flights & evening meals). The price of accommodation is based on single occupancy. If you book as a couple your room price will be reduced.

At the time of booking a selection of room types will be offered to you with the opportunity to upgrade (based on availability) at an additional cost. Our recommended travel agent can help you to book your group or individual flights.