This is our coming of age story. We were born 100 years ago, and ever since then we’ve been unstoppable.
We are fuelled by movement, its power and beauty. Its natural beauty, to be exact. We love to perform but not to pretend. Authenticity is our passion. In our family, everyone can be who they are – onstage and in the audience.
Though our dancers come from around the world and we work on international classics, our roots are right here, in this country and this city. It feels beautiful to be at home.
We’ll be celebrating our birthday throughout the year, and you’re invited to the party. Let’s make this a centenary to remember.
Discover our story
Watch ballet online at Stage24
Celebrate ballet in the comfort of your home
You can also take part in our centenary celebrations via our Stage24 service. You’ll find all upcoming live broadcasts in the Live section of Stage24.
Besides the live broadcasts, our Stage24 service offers recordings of past performances, trailers, as well as discussions and introductory talks to get you in the mood for opera.
Established in 1922, the Finnish National Ballet is Finland’s only full-sized professional ballet company. Today, it is a highly international crowd of 75 dancers, representing 24 nationalities between them. There is also a youth group at the FNB, comprising 14 fresh graduates.
”I can’t think of anywhere I could be happier than at the Finnish National Ballet. I can do work that I love in my home country with the best colleagues. It’s wonderful to have so many ballet lovers in Finland that our company can have thrived for a full century.”
– SARI IKONEN, dancer
Centenary merchandise makes superb souvenirs
Here’s some of the Ballet100 products you can buy at our Opera Shop, located in the foyer on the Töölönlahti bay side.
The new Ballet100 booklet is a comprehensive look at the past and present of the Finnish National Ballet through articles and photos.
Ballet100 postcards €1.50 each
Ballet100 booklet €10
Ballet100 hoodie €60, available in sizes S to XXL
The Opera Shop shares opening hours with the customer service point.
The centenary of the Finnish National Ballet and the 150th anniversary of the National Theatre are also marked with the launch of new stamps. Posti has curated some of the most beautiful photos from the archives of the two arts institutions for its selection of ten stamps.
The five stamps of the Finnish National Ballet feature pictorial memories of Swan Lake, The Little Mermaid, COW, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, and The Sleeping Beauty.
The sheet of stamps called Juhlavuosia näyttämöllä (“Anniversaries on stage”) are available to buy from 7 September.
Dig into our history
There’s plenty to discover in our century-long history! Articles about the twists and turns of the Finnish National Ballet will be added to the site during spring 2023.
