Press Release: The Chelmsford Ballet Company to perform with Ballet Central as part of Music for Christmas

[Jan McNulty]

The Chelmsford Ballet Company to perform with Ballet Central as part of Music for Christmas

 

The Chelmsford Ballet Company, calling the city its home for almost seventy years, will be performing as part of Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society’s Music for Christmas extravaganza on Saturday 22 December at the Brentwood Centre, alongside the esteemed Ballet Central, Central School of Ballet's touring company.

 

Photo of Chelmsford Ballet by Andrew Potter

 

The two companies of dancers will be performing excerpts from The Nutcracker as part of the Christmas concert, to Tchaikovsky’s captivating and possibly most famous score performed by the Aurelian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Tim Hooper. As a truly festive performance, the evening will also include choirs, the full orchestra, audience sing-along and a visit from Father Christmas. It is a festive feast for all the family, the biggest Christmas musical spectacular in Essex.

 

Photo of Ballet Central by Bill Cooper

 

In the perfect prelude to the Christmas season, the much-loved melodies set the scene for everybody’s favourite ballet. This is an event for the whole family and a spectacle for any time of year. To book tickets visit https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/huttonshenfieldchoralsociety

 

Fast approaching in 2019, The Chelmsford Ballet Company is anticipating its 70^th anniversary celebrations throughout the year, with its annual production the highlight of this. A Midsummer Night’s Dream and 70^th anniversary celebrations will run at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford from 20-23 March 2019.

 

 

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About The Chelmsford Ballet Company

 

In 1947, Joan Weston created the Broomfield YMCA Ballet Company in order to give the more senior students at her existing dance school the opportunity to learn and perform to the public. It was after their 1949 performance of Coppélia at the Shire Hall that the then Mayor of Chelmsford suggested the name ‘The Chelmsford Ballet Company’, and with a small committee the company was born.

 

Since 1949, the company has staged a full-scale production every year. Initially a part of the Arts Festival, and then the Cathedral Fringe Festival, they occur today as an annual event in their own right. Today the company is led by Artistic Director Annette Potter, a former dancing member. Annette danced many leading roles with the company before moving on to teaching and choreography. The company’s patrons are Doreen Wells, Marchioness of Londonderry and Christopher Marney, Artistic Director of Ballet Central.

The company is a way for skilled dancers to perform together and to showcase their talents. It has become a well-loved cornerstone of Chelmsford’s cultural calendar, and repertoire includes The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Napoli, Pineapple Poll, Petroushka, La Boutique Fantasque, La Fille Mal Gardée, Tales from Beatrix Potter, Les Sylphides, Coppélia and Cinderella.

The company’s aim is to inspire and progress enthusiastic dancers in a safe, friendly and open environment with a professional approach, whilst having fun along the way. It is an amateur company whose aim is to set professional standards for all its work, involving professionals in its productions, courses, other teaching and workshop opportunities. The company is not an extension of any dance school, and dancers are auditioned via a panel of professionals from a dance background.

In 1999 the company celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a triple bill which included Beat Bop Boogie (a fun look back over the last 50 years). In 2009 its Diamond Jubilee Production was The Sleeping Beauty and in 2017 and 2018 it performed two specially commissioned ballets, Alice’s Adventures followed by Snow Queen. The Chelmsford Ballet Company is looking forward to celebrating its exciting 70th year in 2019, looking back over the company’s history since 1949.

More information can be found at www.thechelmsfordballetcompany.co

 

 

About Ballet Central

 

Photo of Ballet Central by Bill Cooper

 

Ballet Central is the Central School of Ballet's renowned graduate performing company. 

 

Ballet Central’s annual tour which takes place from March to July each year, gives audiences across the country the chance to see the company’s young and dynamic dancers who are on the cusp of their professional careers, showcasing newly-commissioned works and celebrated masterpieces by the dance industry’s top choreographers.   

 

Led by Director Heidi Hall and Artistic Director Christopher Marney, Central School of Ballet is one of Europe’s leading centres for dance training. The school is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance & Drama and was founded 36 years ago by Ann Stannard and the late Christopher Gable CBE.

 

Ballet Central also perform at other events throughout the year and following sell-out performances last Christmas, Ballet Central return to the ADC Theatre, Cambridge on 13–15 December to perform their adaptation of the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker.