Dancer, choreographer and artistic director Carlos Acosta CBE, Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, will receive the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award at the UK Theatre Awards 2025, taking place on Sunday 12 October at 8 Northumberland Avenue. The UK Theatre Awards, sponsored by Encore, have celebrated the very best of theatre across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for over 30 years.
Born in Havana in 1973, Carlos trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba, winning the prestigious Gold Medal at the Prix De Lausanne in 1990. He has since become one of the most renowned and influential figures in ballet worldwide, having performed globally with companies including National Ballet of Cuba, American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, English National Ballet and, most notably, the Royal Ballet, where his 17-year career with the company spanned nearly every major ballet in its repertoire, and where he choreographed his first full length work, Don Quixote.
In 2003, Carlos’ semi-autobiographical show Tocororo premiered in Havana, before breaking box office records at Sadler’s Wells and receiving an Olivier Award nomination. Continuing to develop his own highly popular productions, including both classical and contemporary repertoire, he won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2007 for Carlos Acosta and Friends of the Royal Ballet. He has established his own Cuban dance companies, Acosta Danza and Acosta Danza Yunior, as well as the Acosta Dance Foundation, a Dance Academy in Havana and a Dance Centre in London, providing platforms and world-class training for talented artists both in Cuba and the UK.
For one night only 
Def Leppard, the UK’s Greatest Arena Rock Band, today announce UK and EU tour dates in June and July 2026. The eleven dates announced today include headlining the iconic The O2 in London and the Utilita Arena in their hometown of Sheffield. Switzerland, Finland, Germany and the UK dates will be with Special Guests Extreme.