Tilly Wightman

Biography

British dancer Tilly Wightman (born 21 May 2004) is instantly recognisable for the delicate line and luminous presence with which she marries lyrical softness to the pinpoint drill of the English school.

She began on stage at a young age with musical theatre classes followed by three formative years to lay her dancing foundations at Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, where she was already acclaimed as the school’s “Most Promising Dancer” in 2017. The Royal tradition led her to The Royal Ballet Upper School in Covent Garden (2020 – 2022), and while still a student she collected the first professional credits dancing the touching ‘Molly Girl’ in John Neumeier’s Yondering, the classical Sleeping Beauty Garland Waltz at the Royal Albert Hall, balanced with Balanchine’s sparkling jazz-infused solo I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise from Who Cares?

A contract with Junior Ballet Antwerp (2022 – 2024) broadened her palette: she absorbed the neoclassical flow of David Dawson’s Metamorphosis, fiery energy of Ihsan Rustem’s Bolero and the long-breathed lyricism of the pas de deux from Yannick Boquin’s Concerto, as well as taking on the lead role in the company’s magical rendition of Cinderella.  

In the 2024/2025 season she joined Ballett Dortmund, where she explored Ekman’s engaging narration in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and learnt to channel staccato contractions in Marco Goecke’s Blushing. Her classical range also shone as the lead swan in Xin Peng Wang’s Swan Lake and in the Pas d’Action of La Bayadere’s powerful  Second Act. 

Since 2023 she has been developing her potential with the Czech National Ballet in Prague where she debuted as a Snow Child in Youri Vámos’ The Nutcracker, an opportunity gained through the Exclusive International Ballet Programme where she was presented with the Certificat de Récompense. In earlier years she also reaped multiple prizes from the Royal Academy of Dance competitions as well as numerous choreography awards. 

With her solid classical base, international schooling and instinct for contemporary aesthetics she glides effortlessly across a broad repertoire, from crystal-clear classicism to high-voltage new creations. 

With a Foundation degree in Classical Ballet and Dance Performance and an A* in A level French, Tilly radiates a quiet confidence born of both academic exactitude and comprehensive training. To Czech audiences she arrives as a young artist able to fuse British finesse with continental dynamism using her background in acting and musical theatre to turn every variation into a story that speaks straight to the heart.