Next Season’s Tour dates
Northern Ballet Theatre’s Autumn/Winter tour information is now up on the NBT website:
Click here to view Tour Map
Click here to view Tour List (Chronological)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream reviewed in Culture Northern Ireland
“Graeme Stewart slips on his dancing shoes for an extraordinary night at the Grand Opera House
Northern Ballet Theatre have achieved something extraordinary with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They have taken one of English literature’s best-loved plays, changing nothing and everything at the same time.
With a creative team including artistic director David Nixon, set designer Duncan Hayler and music director John Pryce-Jones, the production is a stunning display of visual and musical delights, and certainly one of the best contemporary interpretations of Shakespeare’s masterpiece…”
Read the rest of the review here.
New Vacancies
Northern Ballet Theatre (NBT) is an award winning, ambitious touring company based in Leeds, which has gained an enviable reputation as the UK’s number one narrative dance company. We are now looking for two exceptional candidates to fill the following newly created positions:
Corporate Fundraising Manager
The successful candidate will be able to secure support for NBT’s extensive national tour and the creation of new productions. A background in fundraising with strong communication skills is essential. You will be an outgoing individual with experience of successfully securing and managing corporate funding partnerships.
Salary £25,500 – £27,500 pa
Closing Date for applications: Mon 12 May
Interviews will be held in Leeds: Fri 23 May
Audience Development Officer
This post will further Northern Ballet Theatre’s commitment to attracting new and diverse audiences. The successful candidate will have at least one years’ experience of working in marketing and/or audience development within the arts. Must have excellent written and oral communication skills and be able to engage with audiences at all levels.
Salary £17,500 pa
Closing date for applications: Mon 12 May
Interviews will be held in Leeds: Thurs 22 May
For an application pack visit
http://www.northernballettheatre.co.uk/company.html or contact Diane Tabern on 0113 274 5355 or diane.tabern@northernballettheatre.co.uk
Northern Ballet theatre welcomes applications from all sectors of the community
Dancition News
Dancition project in Calderdale Schools
Our Dancition project, supported by the Halifax, involves four primary schools and a secondary school from Calderdale, and aims to increase the understanding and enjoyment of dance and creativity as a way of learning, to develop teachers’ skills in delivering dance activity and to aid the transition from primary to secondary school. The project has involved a teacher inset session, workshops for pupils in school, and a trip to the theatre to see a Northern Ballet Theatre production. During the spring term, the schools have been developing a piece of dance to be performed at the Dancition Festival at Park Lane High School on Wednesday 16th April.
Our project with Northern Ballet Theatre
By Samantha Kaye, Year 5 at Withinfields Primary School
When Northern Ballet Theatre came into our school
Our teachers were from the Northern Ballet. Their names are Sophie, Kate and Richard. Richard is a pianist. He played fast and slow music and we dance in different ways depending on the sort of music. Sophie was showing us what to do and to do it in time with the music. Kate was at the back showing people at the back what to do so they knew what to do.
The workshop in school
We did lots of different moves, trying different ways to move around the hall like skipping, tippey toes, running, hopping and walking fast and slow and lots more. It was a bit tiring at some times depending on what you were doing.
Visiting the Grand Theatre to see The Nutcracker
The theatre was very nice and the dances were very posh and professional. You could hear the sound the dancers’ shoes were making on stage. The music was just right for the dance they did, like when the soldiers shoot their gun at the rats and rat king. The rat king was very mean to the Nutcracker - he was his enemy. The costumes were very nice like the Nutcracker’s. They had all the main features.
Making our own dance - The Big Top
There will be acrobats, tightrope walkers, clowns, lions, horses, magicians and much more. I am playing the tightrope walker and magician’s assistant. We are using tricks, handstands, cartwheels, wobbling and much more. Mr Collins gave us some of the ideas and we had some too.
“I’m relaxed and looking forward to it.” Emily Rushton
“Really excited but a bit nervous.” Chloe Deery
“I’m excited but a bit scared. I might fall off the tightrope.” Natasja Ackroyd
“Very excited but a little worried in case I forget my words.” Jessie Deery
More money for dance
In March, the Government announced that it would be investing a further £5.5 million in dance following the publication of the Dance Review, written by the Royal Opera House Chief Executive Tony Hall.
The funding would be invested in, amongst other schemes, six new Centres of Advanced Training (CATs) between now and 2011. NBT, in partnership with the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, set up the first CAT in the UK and remains the only CAT for classical dance.
David Nixon has responded to the announcement:
“An investment in young people is an investment in the future. As the very first Centre for Advanced Training, Northern Ballet Theatre has seen first hand the effect this kind of funding can have on young people. I feel strongly that we must develop high standards and quality access across the country and this announcement makes huge steps towards achieving these goals.”
Read a dance industry responce by Dance UK
Read about our Centre for Advanced Training
New work by David Nixon
Check out BalletMet’s website for further information: http://www.balletmet.org/performances_romeo.php
David Nixon’s new dance piece for Ballet Central
In the UK David has created a new dance piece for students at the Ballet Central. Steps to Bach is a neoclassical work that the students will perform as part of their tour throughout the UK.
David, who is an Artistic Adviser at Ballet Central says of the piece:
“The music is Bach and I don’t often get the chance to create Bach. There’s no reason not to take music that has been used for a Balanchine work and is well known to give the dancers a feel of what neoclassical is, both the speed of it and the quality of the adage work.”
Click here to read the full media release and tour dates.
L&A April Update
Dance Education Officer Caroline Burn springs into action this month as she joins the Company on tour to Belfast, London and Norwich. As well as leading workshops in local schools, she will hold Get Closer events at theatres. The events, such as Ballet Explored, Pre-performance talks, touch-tours and audio described performances provide a unique insight into the Company and the production to enhance your theatre visit…
