Artistic Director of Brecon Festival Ballet, Katy Sinnadurai, visited Buckingham Palace for a garden party recently.

Katy attended the party at the royal residence, after being invited as a recipient of the British Empire Medal in 2020, for services to dance education, training and performance.

As well as enjoying the celebration with her husband doctor Paul, Katy also had the chance to meet and speak to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.

Katy has been teaching dance and pilates classes in Brecon for more than two decades, but has also choreographed over 40 productions at Theatr Brycheiniog, including Westenders’ pantomimes, Brecon High School musicals, Mid Wales Dance Academy performances, Stars of Strictly come Dancing shows, Brecon Baroque Festival concerts and various fund-raising events. In 2019 Katy choreographed Wales’s first ever full-scale production of “The Nutcracker”, which played to packed houses in Theatr Brycheiniog and is set to return in December 2022.

The dancer and teacher received a BEM for services to dance education
The dancer and teacher received a BEM for services to dance education in 2020 (Katy Sinnadurai)

Katy said: “Even though Brecon Festival Ballet’s performances of “The Nutcracker” are at Christmas, in reality, work goes on all year round to put on this famous ballet. We have a huge cast featuring wonderful professional dancers and professional musicians of the Welsh Chamber Orchestra, full-time ballet students, many local children and adults and a choir!

“But also, behind the scenes there is an army of fantastic volunteers who generously give their time and expertise to create costumes, props and scenery, to chaperone the children and help raise funds.

“It was a pleasure to attend the garden party at Buckingham Palace and I was delighted to have a conversation about the ballet with Prince William. I had been fortunate enough to meet his mother, Princess Diana, on several occasions as she was the Patron of London City Ballet, a company I performed with many years ago.

“It was an honour to receive the BEM, but the medal really represents the dedicated work of the whole team at Brecon Festival Ballet, an inspiring group of around 200 people, comprising both community members and professional performers. We can’t wait to bring back the full production later this year! If members of the local community are interested in taking part, either onstage or behind the scenes, please visit the website.”