Jan McNulty

Just because casting is not publicly announced doesn’t mean to say that dancers don’t have any idea when they will be scheduled to perform.

It’s not a route I travel as I live “up north”. Liverpool and Manchester airports are probably as close to Birmingham if they may be an option. Trains to Birmingham run from both areas. Birmingham is a great city to explore.

Interviews with Kevin O'Hare and Alex Beard as well as news items in Links today:

Links - Wednesday 01 May, 2024 Interview - Kevin O’Hare, Director of the Royal Ballet, talks about the the company’s new name and new season 2024-2025: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Interview - Alex Beard, MD Royal Opera House, on why he’s changing the Royal Opera House’s name and other issues: Richard Morrison, Times (share token) News - Royal Ballet 2024-25 season announced and change of name for Royal Opera House: Nick Clark, Standard Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Elle Muir, Independent Katie Chambers, Stage Kyle Macdonald, Classic FM Anita Singh, Telegraph (paywalled) Review - Pett | Clausen-Knight, Imago, London: Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide Review - Joffrey Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chicago: Sharon Hoyer, New City Stage Review - Dance Theatre of Harlem, mixed programme, New York: Susan Yung, Brooklyn Rail Reviews - KVN Dance Company, Coppelia, London: Anna Pujol Castiblanque, Seeing Dance Andrei-Alexandru Mihail, Everything Theatre Review - La Scala, Gala Fracci, Milan: Alessandro Bizzotto, Dance for You Magazine Review - BodyVox, Beautiful Everything, Beaverton (Oregon); Lindsay Dreyer, Oregon Artswatch Film Report - John Neumeier/Hamburg Ballet, Dona Nobis Pacem; Documentary - The Life and Work of John Neumeier: Jennifer Shannon, ... on dancing Preview/Interview - Amy Hall Garner makes her choreographic debut at New York City Ballet: Kyra Laubacher, Pointe Magazine Interview - Matthew Bourne talks Romeo and Juliet: Park Jin-Hai, Korea Times Dance Diary - April 2024, Australia: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing News - New moves at Queensland Ballet: Staff, Dance Australia News - Smuin Contemporary Ballet announces 2024-25 season: Rachel Howard, MSN via SF Chronicle News from Ballet Edmonton: New AD Kirsten Wicklund: Angela Johnston, Edmonton Journal Outgoing AD Wen Wei Wang and the final programme of the season: Angela Johnston, Edmonton Journal News - Northern Ballet will premiere new (children’s) ballet Hansel and Gretel next year: Stephi Wild, Broadway World Conversation - Dancing inside and outside the box: Nell Breyer & Emily Coates, Brooklyn Rail

For immediate release 30 April 2024 Northern Ballet announce new children’s ballet Hansel & Gretel to première in Leeds next year Northern Ballet presents Hansel & Gretel Leeds Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre 15-22 February 2025 National tour dates to be announced Northern Ballet have announced a new addition to their award-winning series of ballets for children, Hansel & Gretel. The ballet will première next year at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds from 15-22 February before embarking on a national tour. In an environmental reimagining of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel take a trip into the forest, unaware of the damage they leave behind. When they get lost, the siblings meet a host of spirited friends who teach them how we can all better look after the planet - and have some fun along the way! The 40-minute ballet is designed for children age three plus and their families to experience live dance, music and theatre together. There are also relaxed and audio described performances available, ensuring the production remains accessible for as many people as possible.  Northern Ballet have been touring their award-winning ballets for children across the UK for over a decade, with their latest show Tortoise & the Hare touring until the end of May. Their other ballets include the hugely successful Three Little Pigs, Elves & the Shoemaker, Ugly Duckling and Goldilocks & the Three Bears, some having been shown in cinemas across the UK and all of which were adapted for TV by CBeebies. Hansel & Gretel will be choreographed by Northern Ballet Company Dancers George Liang and Harris Beattie. The two have starred in various named roles in many of Northern Ballet’s recent productions and have choreographed for the Company previously in Northern Ballet’s Sketches, a programme that showcases new choreographic talent. The ballet will be performed to live music which will be composed by Colin Scott, Northern Ballet’s Company Pianist. Designing sets and costumes is Ali Allen. To coincide with the ballet’s environmental message, a majority of the materials for sets and costumes are going to be sustainably created with reused materials. Northern Ballet will also be organising a Family Fun Day themed around Hansel & Gretel, where children aged five to seven will be able to take part in a day of dancing, crafting and learning, followed by a chance to watch the new children’s ballet. Tickets are on sale now, with dates for the forthcoming tour to be announced. For more information and details on how to book, please visit northernballet.com/theatre/hansel-and-gretel Notes to Editors Hansel & Gretel Listings Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre 15 - 22 February 2025 Sat 15/02: 11am, 2pm, 4pm Mon 17/02, Tue 18/02, Wed 19/02, Thu 20/02: 11am, 1pm, 3pm Fri 21/02, Sat 22/02: 11am*, 2pm**, 4pm *Relaxed performance **Audio Described performance Box Office 0113 220 8008 northernballet.com/theatre Northern Ballet Bold and innovative in its approach, Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s leading and widest touring ballet companies, dedicated to creating stories that connect. A champion for the cultural exports of the North, the Leeds-based Company is committed to bringing ballet to as many people and places as possible, under the leadership of Artistic Director Federico Bonelli. Northern Ballet’s Company of dancers performs a combination of its full-length ballets and specially created ballets for children at more than thirty venues annually. Audiences can also enjoy Northern Ballet’s work on screen through their digital dance platform. Visit northernballet.com/digital-dance to discover more. In addition to Hansel & Gretel, Northern Ballet will be touring Romeo & Juliet and A Christmas Carol to theatres across the UK this autumn, as well as Jane Eyre in the spring of 2025. To find out more visit northernballet.com/whats-on  Illustration by Emily Nuttall.

I don't disagree with you.

You could have also read it in The Guardian or Bloomberg as included in Today's Links today. It's also mentioned in the RB season thread.

That is a very interesting question and perhaps worthy of a thread on its own...

Although not unexpected I am deeply saddened by this news. I've always enjoyed reading Linda's posts with her deep and obvious love of ballet, her erudition on the subject and her robust support for all the companies. As with Sim we had messaged conversations and I knew her from LBC zooms and from my occasional forays to ROH. I will miss her in all of those capacities. On a personal note, when Linda realised I was missing performances last spring due to illness she messaged me and was incredibly supportive. She was open about her own diagnosis and that she had way outlived the doctors' expectations. I will greatly miss her messages and her contributions to this forum. RIP Linda

Hello @Elly94 and welcome to the Forum!

Do you include "story ballets" in that? Or Albrecht's solo before he collapses in Giselle? Or the Act 2 adagio in Swan Lake? Certainly for the latter 2 applause at those points entirely ruins the flow and emotion of the moment for me.

Not necessarily on that costume but I have.

As a long-time follower of Northern Ballet we were "educated" by the late Christopher Gable not to applaud during story ballets as it interrupted the flow. Most NB audiences still stick to that. I remember a matinee performance of BRB performing SDB's Gallantries where there was prolonged applause for the glorious central duet. I got the impression that the dancers were not sure what to do. At the evening performance it was noticeable that the orchestra and dancers just carried on through the applause... I think there are applause points built into Act 3 of a conventional Swan Lake but I do not applaud elsewhere during the ballet as I find it tends to ruin the flow. There are lots more applause points built into both Sleeping Beauty, Don Q and (of course) The Nutcracker.

Do you mean the "strings" across the back? I have seen these on many costumes over the years - they are to facilitate them being worn by more than one dancer who may all be different sizes. Some of these costumes date back to the original production. I remember being able to look at some of the costumes in the backstage area at Plymouth many years ago and seeing various historic names inside them. It was fascinating.

I don't know but I have had discussions with the lady I go to for art workshops about why orange in my watercolour pallet is called Cadmium Red and apparently orange was the original red...