Jan McNulty

A review of The Snow Queen from Chichester: http://www.chichester.co.uk/what-s-on/entertainment/review-the-snow-queen-ballet-theatre-uk-at-brighton-dome-1-7166017

I picked this up via New Adventure's FB page. It is a very emotional and eloquent reflection on the evening: http://musicaltheatrereview.com/mr-wonderful-a-celebration-of-jonathan-olliviers-life-in-dance-sadlers-wells/

Last night was an emotional rollercoaster for me. It was a fabulous celebration of Jon Ollivier's dancing life and Matthew Bourne struck just the right note as the compere. Don Q and Lynette have described the content of the gala but I just wanted to mention the obvious emotion of all the participants too. Having been a fan of Jon Ollivier since he joined Northern Ballet it was such a poignant evening both incredible to watch but indelibly sad that it needed to happen. One example of the measure of affection in which Jon was held was that Michael Clark performed in his own piece. Just to mention that I thought the section from Car Man was very cleverly done as there were 3 Lanas and 3 Lucas doing part each. The Swan Lake segment was particularly memorable and moving. As it ended the Prince (Dominic North) was standing at the back of the stage with his back to the audience. He turned and walked to the front of the stage and the anguish on his face just reduced me to mush. As the screen came alive all the swans came back on stage and sat down to watch an excerpt of Jon as the Swan with Chris Marney as his Prince. As it ended, all the other participants came on stage not only to take a bow but to bow to Jon Ollivier. It was an incredibly moving tribute. We happened to bump into Charlotte Talbot (who had been on the organising committee) at the interval and she thanked us for coming but how could we not have been there last night. It was a truly memorable night in honour of an unforgettable dancer. RIP Jonny.

Northern Ballet’s Swan Lake returns for national tour Join Northern Ballet this spring for one of ballet’s most famous love stories with the return of David Nixon OBE’s Swan Lake. Performed to Tchaikovsky’s moving score, this production is a modern take on an iconic classic with all the beauty for which Swan Lake is renowned. Opening at Leeds Grand Theatre from 3 – 12 March 2016, Swan Lake will also tour to Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, Norwich Theatre Royal and Milton Keynes Theatre in March and April 2016. Haunted by a childhood tragedy resulting in the death of his beloved brother, Anthony looks to the water for answers – in whatever form they take. An ethereal swan-like creature emerges and Anthony finds an unknown joy and freedom he has not felt since he was a boy, but on returning home, he finds himself conflicted. Torn between his two friends, the mystical swan beckons - what path will Anthony choose? Set in New England at the start of the twentieth century, a time of long lazy summers and old world grace, thisproduction, which was first performed in 2004, features costumes capturing the luxury and refined affluence of the era.Set designs by Dave Gillan, lighting by Peter Mumford and Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia complete the retelling of this infamous story. David Nixon OBE, said: ‘Our Swan Lake offers a different telling to traditional versions of the ballet whilst still remaining true to the spirit of the story and incorporating popular elements that audiences will be familiar with, from Tchaikovsky’s score to the dance of the four cygnets.’ Join Northern Ballet for this beautifully tragic tale of love and obsession told through the Company’s unique blend of classical ballet and drama. Tickets for all venues are on sale now. For booking information see northernballet.com/swanlake. -ENDS- Notes to Editors For more details of Northern Ballet's tour, on sale dates and booking information, please visit northernballet.com/whatson. Nominated for Outstanding Company at the 2015 National Dance Awards and voted Best Company at the 2014 TaglioniEuropean Ballet Awards, Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s five large ballet companies. Based in Leeds it performs throughout the UK as well as overseas. Northern Ballet’s productions mix classical dance and theatre, embracing popular culture and taking inspiration from literature, opera, or giving a unique interpretation of popular classical ballets. Northern Ballet is the busiest touring ballet company in the UK and is typically on the road for around 32 weeks of the year. The Company of 46 dancers tours a combination of full-length new work and established repertoire to cities throughout the UK. Northern Ballet also tours widely with its ballets for children, the first three of which were adapted for TV by CBeebies, and also performs a mixed programme showcasing the versatility of its dancers. Production Credits Choreography & Direction David Nixon OBE Dramatic Associate Patricia Doyle Set Design Dave Gillan Lighting Design Peter Mumford Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Music Director John Pryce-Jones Reduced Orchestration John Longstaff Played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia Swan Lake – Tour Dates Leeds Grand Theatre 3 – 12 March 2016 Box Office 0844 848 2700 leedsgrandtheatre.com Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre 15 – 19 March 2016 Box Office 0114 249 6000 sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Norwich, Theatre Royal 19 – 23 April 2016 Box Office 01603 630 000 theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk Milton Keynes Theatre 26 – 30 April 2016 Box Office 0844 871 7652 atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes Calls to 0844 numbers cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company's access charge.

PRESS RELEASE MATTHEW BOURNE’S AWARD-WINNING DANCE PRODUCTION THE CAR MAN RELEASED IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE FROM 1 MARCH 2016 Running time 98 minutes BBFC Cert 12A Recently knighted and internationally acclaimed choreographer Matthew Bourne’s stunning dance thriller, The Car Man, will be released in cinemas across the UK from 1 March 2016. Performed by Matthew Bourne’s Dance Company, New Adventures, the award-winning The Car Man is loosely based on Bizet’s popular opera (CARMEN) and has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in classical music, brilliantly arranged by Terry Davies. The familiar 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy garage-diner in 1960’s America where the dreams and passions of a small-town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge. Lez Brotherston’s epic design, Chris Davey’s evocative lighting and Matthew Bourne’s vivid storytelling take in a wealth of cinematic references, creating a powerful and uncompromising vision of small-town America. Filmed live at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London in August 2015 and starring an outstanding cast of dancers praised for the power and magnetism of their performances, the title role of ‘Luca, The Car Man’, is played by CHRIS TRENFIELD; ‘Lana’ by ZIZI STRALLEN; ‘Rita’, Lana’s sister is performed by KATE LYONS; ‘Angelo’ is played by DOMINIC NORTH; and ‘Dino’ by ALAN VINCENT. In addition Zizi Strallen has been nominated for the Outstanding Female Performance category in the National Dance Awards for her performance as Lana in The Car Man. Matthew Bourne comments: “Of all our New Adventure’s dance productions The Car Man has become the show that is most often mentioned as a ‘favourite’ by audience members, and it’s loved by the dancers too who relish the chance to perform such gutsy and challenging roles. I’m delighted that dance fans across the UK will have the opportunity to watch this incredibly powerful 2015 revival on the big screen at their local cinema.” The Car Man is the third Matthew Bourne production to be distributed to cinemas worldwide by London-based Event Cinema specialist More2Screen, following on from Swan Lake 3D in 2012 and Sleeping Beauty in 2014. **** Released in Cineworld, Picturehouse and independent cinemas across the UK from 1 March 2016. Dates and times vary. More information and cinema listings visit www.new-adventures.net Cinema listings here: http://www.more2screen.com/cinema-listings-for-matthew-bournes-the-car-man/ Notes To Editors: MATTHEW BOURNE Matthew Bourne is widely hailed as the UK’s most popular and successful choreographer and director. He is the creator of the world’s longest running ballet production, a five-time Olivier Award winner, and the only British director to have won the Tony Award for both Best Choreographer and Best Director of a Musical. Matthew started his dance training at the comparatively late age of 22. He danced professionally for 14 years creating many roles in his own work. As Artistic Director of his first company, Adventures in Motion Pictures from 1987 until 2002 Matthew created many award winning works. Further hit productions were created when New Adventures was launched in 2002, becoming the UK’s busiest and most successful dance company and the major exporter of British dance across the world. Matthew is also a West End and Broadway choreographer; a more than 20 year relationship with producer, Cameron Mackintosh has resulted in the globally successful musicals Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady and Oliver! In 2008 he established his charity Re:Bourne to increase opportunities that inspire young people with a passion for dance and in 2010 created the New Adventures Choreographer Award to showcase the talents of emerging choreographers. Matthew is a Companion of his former college, Trinity Laban and the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. He has five Honorary Doctorates from The Open University, and the Universities of De Montford, Plymouth, Kingston and Roehampton. He is a proud patron of many organisations including The Arts Educational School, Laine Theatre Arts, CREATE and Shoreditch Youth Dance. The De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards was awarded to Matthew in 2013. In 2015 Matthew was awarded a Special UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre. Matthew was Knighted in the Queen’s New Years Honours for services to Dance in 2016. NEW ADVENTURES New Adventures is the UK’s most in demand contemporary Dance/Theatre touring company. Under the inspired leadership of Artistic Director, Matthew Bourne, it has, over the last 28 years, changed the landscape of British dance with an award-winning repertory of works that have brought unprecedented new audiences to theatres throughout the UK and internationally. Matthew Bourne and his team of world-class collaborators have consistently produced some of the most successful dance productions ever staged. Since its formation in 2002, New Adventures has created an enviable repertory of acclaimed new works (Play Without Words, Edward Scissorhands, Dorian Gray, Lord Of The Flies and Sleeping Beauty) as well as new productions of popular favourites from Matthew Bourne’s former company, Adventures In Motion Pictures (1987-2002) - Nutcracker!, Swan Lake, Highland Fling, The Car Man, Cinderella and the mixed programme Early Adventures. The Company regularly employs over 60 dancers annually, and they are widely recognised as the finest group of actor/dancers working in the UK today. New Adventures is proud to be Resident Company at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London where it regularly performs record-breaking extended seasons. The company annually undertakes extensive country-wide touring, appearing at more venues and giving more performances each year than any other UK dance company. British dance’s biggest export for over 10 years, New Adventures has performed seasons at the world’s most iconic venues (Sydney Opera House, New York City Center, The Chatalet in Paris, The Kennedy Center, Washington and The Moscow Arts Theatre) the most prestigious Festivals (Edinburgh, Ravenna and Chekhov International Festivals) and regularly tours to Japan, the USA, Australia, Europe and Russia. Mixing popular appeal with a ground-breaking and unique theatrical language, New Adventures is one of the great success stories of British Theatre. The Company has notched up a staggering ten Olivier nominations for its productions, has won the Manchester Evening News Dance Award five times and was given a Special TMA award for its commitment to national touring. In 2008 Re:Bourne, the charitable-arm of the company, was established to discover, inspire and train the next generation of dancers and dance audiences. The charity has worked with over 100,000 young people in the UK and overseas and it’s 2014 production Lord of the Flies received critical acclaim across the country. In 2012 the company celebrated its 25th Anniversary, performing six diverse works at 32 UK venues. This culminated in the World Premiere of Matthew Bourne’s latest hit production of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty in October 2012. In 2014 New Adventures and Re:Bourne were invited to join Arts Council England’s national portfolio from April 2015. http://new-adventures.net/ MORE2SCREEN Recently voted Europe’s Best Event Cinema Distributor*, More2Screen has more than 8 years’ experience acquiring and distributing world-class opera, ballet, music concerts, theatre and special event films to 5,000 cinemas in 60+ international territories – including 50 live broadcasts and over 150 different recorded productions, plus 3D live/recorded content. The company has also won two ECA Box Office Awards: Queen Hungarian Rhapsody (100,000+ worldwide admissions) in 2013 and Pompeii from the British Museum (100,000+ worldwide admissions) in 2014. We’re passionate about bringing the finest entertainment content closer to local audiences across the globe, from distributing magnificent opera and ballet productions in partnership with Europe’s leading companies including the Royal Opera House, New Adventures, the Mariinsky Theatre and the Lincoln Center, to first-class classical music concerts from the Berliner Philharmoniker. In the growing area of museum events we are the international distributor for the British Museum’s ground-breaking Pompeii from the British Museum and Vikings from the British Museum. Our ever-expanding repertoire also features live and recorded pop music events from best-selling artists like The Rolling Stones, Adele, Queen, Peter Gabriel, Def Leppard, Morrissey and the Backstreet Boys, plus theatre must-sees Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds, Stephen Sondheim's Company, Broadway’s Romeo and Juliet starring Orlando Bloom and The Importance Of Being Earnestfeaturing David Suchet as Lady Bracknell. More information www.more2screen.com *(ECA Awards 2015)

Bartabas Golgota Monday 14 - Monday 21 March Performances: Mon - Sat at 7.30pm, Sun at 4pm. No performance Thu 17 Tickets: £12 - £45 Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com Uniting equestrian theatre with art, music and dance, acclaimed French artist Bartabas returns to the Sadler’s Wells stage accompanied by contemporary flamenco dancer Andrés Marín, presenting the UK Premiere of Golgota from Monday 14 - Monday 21 March 2016. Inspired by the theatricality of sacred rituals, Golgota navigates the bodies of its human and animal performers through a dramatic environment of Gregorian chants and physical poetry, demonstrating flamenco’s boundless creative possibilities. This is a rare opportunity to see two virtuoso artists at the height of their powers. Famous for his use of horses as a means of artistic expression, Bartabas is a world-renowned rider, director and stage designer. He last performed at Sadler’s Wells in 2011, alongside butoh master Ko Murobushi, in The Centaur and the Animal. Bartabas founded his company, Zingaro Theatre, in 1984 and his works have been performed around the world, including in New-York, Tokyo, Istanbul, Hong-Kong and Moscow. With the aim of creating a legacy of equestrian theatre practices, Bartabas founded the Equestrian Academy of Versailles in 2003, creating many works with the Academy. He has also directed films including Mazeppa, Chamane and Galop Arrière. Andrés Marín was born in Seville in 1969 into a family of flamenco dancers. He made his professional debut in 1992, and since then he has worked as guest artist and choreographer with a range of companies. He formed his own company in 2002 and Más Allá del Tiempo, the first show by Compañía Andrés Marín, debuted at Maison de la Danse in Lyon and completed more than 60 performances, touring to venues including the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris and the New World Flamenco Festival in Los Angeles. Marín also directs Andrés Marín Flamenco Abierto, a dance studio and production office based in Seville. Audio described performance: Sunday 20 March at 4pm Touch tour: Sunday 20 March at 1.45pm There will be a screening of Le Caravage, a documentary by Alain Cavalier about Bartabas at the Ciné Lumière on Thursday 17 March. http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/ NOTES TO EDITORS: ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Since 2005 it has helped to bring over 90 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies and an Associate Company and nurtures the next generation of talent through hosting the National Youth Dance Company, its Summer University programme, Wild Card initiative and its New Wave Associates. Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

That's what makes seeing more than one cast so exciting. I love seeing different interpretations but some are going to appeal to me more than others. I'm not talking about Rhapsody because I saw it for the first time on Saturday afternoon, but in general.

Fantastic news! Congratulations Xander Parish!

Links - Monday 18 January, 2016 Gallery - Royal Ballet, Rhapsody, London: Dave Morgan, DanceTabs Review - Royal Ballet, Rhapsody, Two Pigeons, London: Sam Smith, Londonist Reviews - Royal Ballet, Elizabeth; Akram Khan, Until the Lions, London: Jeffrey Taylor, Express Review - Akram Khan, Until the Lions, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Features - Mara Galeazzi returns to Australia for Ballet Under the Stars Gala: Valerie Lawson, Dance Lines Janet Howie, Border Mail Review - David Neumann / Advanced Beginner Group, I understand everything better, New York: Leigh Witchel, Danceview Times Review - Rashaun Mitchell & Silas Riener, Horizon Events, New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Feature - Behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House in Essex: Gareth Morgan, Brentwood Gazette Preview - Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, mixed programme, Cincinnati: David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer Interview - Leslie Caron: Jane Pauley, CBS News

Hello Danceruk and welcome to the Forum. I have moved your post to the Doing Dance Forum, where are DPs and DCs contribute and look for information. It looks as though it is a very useful link. In accordance with our Acceptable Use Policy could I please ask you to add a signature to your profile? "Members who have commercial interests must indicate that by adding a Signature line to their postings, stating the name and type of their business and giving their website and/or business email address for enquiries. (You set up a Signature via My Settings in the dropdown menu under your name.) If members wish to contact businesses, associate schemes or other commercial enterprises this should be done via the vendor’s website or email, not by starting threads on the forum."

Interview with Leslie Caron: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/thank-heaven-for-leslie-caron/

Yes, I was wearing a striped jumper! Sorry we missed each other again.

And my laptop seems to have taken matters into its own hands and booked for the matinee on 30th!!! Thanks Jane...

Links - Sunday 17 January, 2016 Preview Feature - National Ballet of Canada, The Winter’s Tale, Washington: Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post Review - Company Wayne McGregor, Atomos, San Francisco: Carla Escoda, Huffington Post Q&A - Lawrence Rines, Boston Ballet: Shanti Crawford, DanceTabs Review - Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas, Vortex Temporum, Sydney: Maxim Boon, Limelight Preview - BalletLORENT, Snow White, Edinburgh: Mary Brennan, Herald Scotland Featurette - The best dance shows of 2016: Staff, Telegraph Review - Helen Herbertson and Ben Cobham, Morphia Series, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal Review - Moscow City Ballet, The Nutcracker, Manchester: Georgina Wells, British Theatre Guide Review - Le Patin Libre, Vertical, London: Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide Contra-Tiempo, Agua Furiosa, Los Angeles: Preview Feature - Deborah Vankin, LA Times Review - Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review Preview - SOLA, an evening of 6 contemporary dance solos choreographed by and for women, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune Preview - Abarukas, No Man is an Island, New York: Jennifer Thompson, Examiner Review - Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, Rouge, Mona Lisa, Kosmos, Philadelphia: Eri Yoneda, Phindie Review - Bodiography Contemporary Ballet, Unseen, Pittsburgh: Sara Bauknecht, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Review - Ockham’s Razor, Tipping Point, London: Lyndsey Winship, Standard

Judging by this afternoon's performance of Rhapsody and Two Pigeons, wonderful though he is, I don't think the Royal need him as they already have so much young talent. I didn't plan very well, with a bit more thought I could have fitted a Corsaire in to my trip and some other delights too. I am home now but back down to London on Monday for Jonny Ollivier's memorial gala.

I'd never seen Rhapsody before but I thought it was absolutely beautiful. I thought the whole cast danced the piece really well. Francesca Hayward is very special indeed. I had a lump in my throat after the duet - she and James Hay were wonderful together. I think that duet shows that even in an abstract work there is emotion, another glorious masterpiece from Sir Frederick Ashton. Well in a couple of weeks and with many Nutcracker in between both Yuhui Choe and Alexander Campbell have deepened their interpretations in Two Pigeons. Jamesrhblack has articulated so much more eloquently than I could what I felt about Alex' performance this afternoon. I thought Yuhui was sublime too - very believable indeed. I found the reconciliation duet incredibly moving. Oh, OK I was a blubbering wreck from the moment he was ejected from the gypsy camp. Of course the ballet is not just about 2 dancers and I thought the whole company put their hearts and souls into it this afternoon. I agree with Bill, it was a 5* afternoon. It was lovely too meeting up with so many Forum members and lurkers. It was especially nice to meet Petunia and Timmie for the first time. I do hope Petunia is going to write about her ballet extravaganza for us.

And from Liverpool...

I used to love watching Grizzly Adams. RIP Dan Haggerty.

Clickable link for Ballet Cymru audition information: http://welshballet.co.uk/dancers-wanted/

Just a reminder that applications for Northern Ballet need to be in by Monday: http://northernballet.com/vacancies/northern-ballet-company-auditions

I have amended the title to be more generic. I do not believe we require a thread for every company holding auditions but a general thread for people to record upcoming auditions may be a useful resource.

Royal Ballet of Flanders: Applications required by 15th February. Thanks to Aileen for mentioning this on another thread. https://operaballet.be/en/the-house/hiring/audities#tab

Here is the link to NBA's web page for the professional programme: http://northernballet.com/professional-graduate-programme

Links - Friday 15 January, 2016 Reviews - English National Ballet, Le Corsaire, London: Clement Crisp, FT Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk Zoe Anderson, Independent Jann Parry, DanceTabs Lyndsey Winship, Standard Mark Ronan, Blog Mark Monahan, Telegraph Laura Dodge, Londonist Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack Mersa Auda, The Upcoming Gallery - Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Review/Feature - Royal Ballet, Elizabeth, London; story ballets coming in 2016: Ismene Brown, Spectator Reviews - Scottish Ballet, Cinderella, Glasgow: Mary Brennan, Herald Scotland Lorna Irvine, Fjord Review Vivienne Aitken, Daily Record News - Scottish Ballet unveils ambitious 2016/17 programme: Staff, DanceTabs Andrew Learmonth, The National Reviews - Akram Khan, Until the Lions, London: Zoe Anderson, Independent John O’Dwyer, Bachtrack Review - Le Patin Libre, Vertical, London: Siobhan Murphy, DanceTabs News - Dance Listings New York 15-21 January: Staff, NY Times Review - Helen Herbertson and Ben Cobham, Morphia Series, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times News - Vail International Dance Festival announces 2016 programme: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times News - Northern Ballet take The Great Gatsby to China: Staff, Global Times Feature - The teen carers dancing for Matthew Bourne: Mark Tran, Guardian News - San Francisco Ballet Spring Season 2016: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Q&A - Dores Andre, newest principal at San Francisco Ballet: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Featurette - San Francisco Ballet’s retiring Borda & Molat on their career highlights: Alan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Featurette - San Francisco Ballet Dancers channel a pair of Hepburns: Carolyne Zinko, SF Chronicle Feature - Celebrating Alvin Ailey on (what would have been) his 85th birthday: Zita Allen, NY Amsterdam News Preview - Alberta Ballet, Shaping Sound, Calgary: Louis Hobson, Calgary Sun Film Review - A Ballerina’s Tale (Misty Copeland): Martha Schabas, Toronto Globe and Mail Review - Findlay//Sandsmark, o’ death, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review - Cut the Sky, Sydney: Martin Portus, Daily Review Documentary Review - Michelle’s Story (by Meryl Tankard): Deborah Jones, Blog

SCOTTISH BALLET UNVEILS AMBITIOUS 2016/17 PROGRAMME Building on a prolific period of creativity, Scottish Ballet sets out an ambitious programme for 2016/17, continuing to innovate and cultivate new dance and delivering cutting edge creative projects. Spring 2016: World premiere of new Swan Lake by David Dawson Scottish Ballet has a reputation for producing cutting edge interpretations of classic ballets and pushing the boundaries of what ballet is and can be. In Swan Lake, choreographer David Dawson stays true to his visceral and inventive style. He strips away the artifice, focusing on the core themes of ideal love, femininity and betrayal. “Dawson’s demanding and innovative choreography offers twenty-first century dancers what they need to develop and sustain their technique.” Dance Europe “The choreographer finds his expression in the most beautiful motion, (…) sensuous, elegant, powerful.” Sächsische Zeitung Autumn 2016: European premiere of Emergence by Crystal Pite and a World Premiere by Sophie Laplane A programme bringing together internationally acclaimed choreographer and Sadler’s Wells’ Associate Artist, Crystal Pite and Scottish Ballet’s own emerging choreographic talent Sophie Laplane. Scottish Ballet, the first ballet Company in the UK to present a work from Crystal Pite, will also be the first company in Europe to showcase her daring work Emergence. This will be presented alongside a World Premiere by Laplane, whose critically acclaimed work Maze enthralled audiences as part of Scottish Ballet’s Autumn 2015 Season. “Pite is an image-maker of rare distinction.” The Australian “…Laplane is clearly a major talent in the making.” Sunday Herald Winter 2016/17: Critically acclaimed production of Hansel & Gretelreturns Christopher Hampson’s festive treat Hansel & Gretel returns for our Winter Season 2016/17. This fantastical fairy tale, which first wowed audiences in 2013, is filled with festive magic, twists and turns and was inspired by the stories and imagination of the people of Scotland. “Colourful, clever and captivating” The Sunday Times CEO/Artistic Director, Christopher Hampson speaking about 2016/17: “At Scottish Ballet we thrive on creativity and our upcoming year is replete with creative voices. David Dawson will push the boundaries of classical ballet in our new production of Swan Lake, providing us with a bold addition to the repertoire. I’m thrilled that Crystal Pite, one of today’s most innovative and exciting choreographers, will be working with us to bring Emergence to our audiences, alongside our own choreographic rising star, Sophie Laplane who is poised to be taking the next step in her very promising career. We look to innovate on stage and beyond. We will be delivering extensive education and outreach projects including our collaboration with Dance Base on Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland and continuing The Close, an empowering programme for young people excluded from mainstream education. These new productions and initiatives support our mission to use creativity and the participation in creative projects to change lives.” Christopher Hampson, Scottish Ballet CEO / Artistic Director 2016/17 SEASON FULL DETAILS World premiere of Scottish Ballet’s new Swan Lake by David Dawson Touring to: Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Liverpool in April, May and June 2016 David Dawson Swan Lake Swan Lake credits: Choreography: David Dawson Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set Design: John Otto Costume Design: Yumiko Takeshima Lighting Design: Bert Dalhuysen Swan Lake is generously supported by Production Sponsor Check-It Scaffold Services and Official Make-up Sponsor NARS Cosmetics Autumn Season 2016 - European premiere of Emergence by Crystal Pite and World premiere of New Work by Sophie Laplane Touring to: Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness in September and October 2016 Crystal Pite Emergence Pite first created Emergence for the National Ballet of Canada in 2009 and it was also performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2013. It won four Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Choreography, Outstanding Performance and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition by Owen Belton. Emergence credits: Music: Owen Belton (2009) Choreography: Crystal Pite Staging: Hope Muir Set Design: Jay Gower Taylor Costume Design: Linda Chow Lighting Design: Alan Brodie Sophie Laplane New Work Company dancer Sophie Laplane first joined Scottish Ballet in 2004 and has been developing her choreographic skills since then. The List included Sophie Laplane on their list of the Top 100 influential people in Scotland in November 2015. Hansel & Gretel by Christopher Hampson Touring to: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Newcastle in December, January and February 2017 Christopher Hampson Hansel & Gretel Christopher Hampson’s delightfully inventive ballet Hansel & Gretel returns in Winter 2016/17. This fun interpretation of the Grimm Brother’s famous fairy tale first thrilled audiences in 2013/14. Hansel & Gretel credits: Choreography: Christopher Hampson Music: Engelbert Humperdinck Set & Costume Design: Gary Harris Lighting Design: George Thomson CUTTING EDGE CREATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS Scottish Ballet Creative Scottish Ballet launched Scottish Ballet Creative earlier in 2015, with an aim to produce interesting projects that blur the lines between the dance, music and art worlds, merging classical and contemporary dance with other creative arts. The first project, released in July 2015, was a music video for singer/songwriter Kathryn Joseph’s single The Bird, starring Company dancer Sophie Laplane. Scottish Ballet has been working with visual arts organisation The Common Guild as part of a new project by leading artist and winner of the 2005 Turner Prize, Simon Starling. The project, to be presented by The Common Guild in 2016, will include a new piece of choreography by Javier de Frutos, realised in conjunction with Scottish Ballet and featuring Scottish Ballet dancer Thomas Edwards. Full details will be released later this year. Scottish Ballet is also collaborating with the Glasgow Short Film Festival and will be presenting a special curated film night and a discussion exploring the relationship between dance and film during the festival in March 2016. Scottish Ballet will premiere a new short dance film as part of this event. Scottish Ballet Education Work Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland In 2016/17, Scottish Ballet will spearhead a ground-breaking 18 month pilot Dance for Parkinson’s programme, delivered in partnership with Dance Base. This initiative is focused on enabling those with Parkinson’s to experience the benefits of dance and creativity, improving balance, spatial awareness, confidence and fluidity in movement. Scottish Ballet and Dance Base will be working with the neuroscientist Dr Donald Grosset from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow to carry out research and medical documentation of the project. Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland launches in March 2016. Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland is supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the R S MacDonald Charitable Trust, the AMW Charitable Trust, the Elizabeth Frankland Moore and Star Foundation and the Nancie Massey Charitable Trust. The Close Scottish Ballet is working on a school project for 70 pupils with the Kibble Education and Care Centre in Paisley and Gorgie Mills School in Edinburgh as part of The Close project. The project will focus on Christopher Hampson's Hansel & Gretel and Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling and will offer a gentle introduction to dance focusing on themes from the production to hard-to-reach, vulnerable young people, aged between 11 and 18 years old. The Close was first launched in 2012, with the aim of empowering participants by welcoming their own creative ideas. The Close is an innovative way of inspiring marginalised and at-risk young people, positively affecting their lives by building confidence and directly contributing to their ability to co-operate with each other through the arts. The Close is supported by Education Partner Cairn Energy and the Gemmell Bequest Fund. The Anserinae Project This professional choreographic mentorship programme will allow 5 Scottish artists the opportunity to develop their practice with internationally acclaimed artist, choreographer and mentor Kerry Nicholls. Each of the selected artists will present a new work inspired by Scottish Ballet's Swan Lake in Edinburgh in May 2016. Scottish Ballet Elders’ Company The Scottish Elders’ Company (SBEC) was founded in 2015 and consists of members from Scottish Ballet’s popular Regenerate programme for the over 50s. Their first performance took place at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year and they progressed to tour Scotland in Autumn 2015 with the Elders dance group Prime from Dance Base. In 2016, the SBEC will work with choreographer Tommy Small, the first ever Radio 2 Artist in Residence, to create a new dance work which they will perform at the GoDance festival on 1 March. NOTES FOR EDITORS SCOTTISH BALLET SEASON CALENDAR JANUARY 2016 CINDERELLA Theatre Royal, Glasgow Tue 12 - Sat 16 Jan 2016 His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Wed 20 – Sat 23 Jan 2016 Eden Court, Inverness Wed 27 – Sat 30 Jan 2016 APRIL / MAY / JUNE 2016 SWAN LAKE Theatre Royal, Glasgow Tue 19 - Sat 23 Apr 2016 His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Wed 27 – Sat 30 Apr 2016 Eden Court, Inverness Wed 4 – Sat 7 May 2016 Theatre Royal, Newcastle Wed 11 – Sat 14 May 2016 Edinburgh, Festival Theatre Wed 25 – Sat 28 May 2016 Empire Theatre, Liverpool Wed 1 – Sat 4 Jun 2016 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 AUTUMN SEASON: EMERGENCE AND NEW WORK Theatre Royal, Glasgow Thu 29 Sep – Sat 1 Oct 2016 Eden Court, Inverness Fri 7 – Sat 8 Oct 2016 His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Fri 14 – Sat 15 Oct 2016 DECEMBER 2016 - FEBRUARY 2017 HANSEL & GRETEL Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Sat 10 – Sat 31 Dec 2016 Theatre Royal, Glasgow Thu 5 – Sat 14 Jan 2017 His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Wed 18 – Sat 21 Jan 2017 Eden Court, Inverness Wed 25 – Sat 28 Jan 2017 Biographies David Dawson British choreographer David Dawson is one of the most innovative dance makers working in classical ballet today. His personal choreographic style transforms classical ballet in new ways, and his signature works are atmospheric, emotionally physical, abstract/narrative pieces that have been praised by critics and audiences worldwide. Dawson's works have been performed in more than 25 countries and entered repertoires of many ballet companies. Dawson was honoured with the Prix Benois de la Danse Award for choreography and nominated for the UK Critics' Circle National Dance Award as Best Classical Choreographer for The Grey Area. The process of choreographing this ballet was vividly illustrated in Tim Couchman's film 'The Grey Area' in Creation. Dawson created Reverence for the Mariinsky Ballet, for which he was awarded Russia's highest theatre prize for visual art, the Golden Mask Award, as Best Choreographer, and became the first British choreographer to create a ballet for this legendary company. He received the Choo San Goh Award for Choreography for The Gentle Chapters and was nominated for The Golden Swan Award, as Best Choreographer for Overture and00:00. For his re-imagining of Faun(e), created for the English National Ballet's Ballets Russes Festival at the Sadler's Wells in London, Dawson has been nominated as Best Classical Choreographer for the UK Critics’ Circle National Dance Award and the Prix Benois de la Danse Choreography Award. Dawson has created numerous ballets internationally, including his full-lengthGiselle, which had its world premiere at the Semperoper. Amongst other significant works are The Human Seasons,day4, The Third Light, Morning Ground,Das Verschwundene|The Disappeared, A Sweet Spell of Oblivion, On the Nature of Daylight, The World According to Us,dancingmadlybackwards, 5, Opus.11 and his highly acclaimedtimelapse/(Mnemosyne). Born in London, David Dawson began to dance at the age of 7 and received his training at the Rona Hart School of Dance, Arts Educational School and The Royal Ballet School. In 1991 he received the Alicia Markova Award and won the prestigious Prix de Lausanne and the same year he was offered a contract by the Birmingham Royal Ballet. He was nominated as Best Newcomer of the Season by 'Dance & Dancers' magazine in 1992. He joined the English National Ballet in 1994 as a soloist, and a year later moved to Amsterdam to perform with Dutch National Ballet. Dawson choreographed his first ballet in 1997 at the annual choreographic workshop while with the Dutch National Ballet. This experience resulted in Dawson's first major creation for the main company, A Million Kisses to my Skin, in 2000. Subsequently, he joined Ballett Frankfurt, where he worked with William Forsythe and performed for two more years before deciding to devote his time to creating his own new works. Between 2004 and 2012 David Dawson was Resident Choreographer for the Dutch National Ballet, the Semperoper Ballet and the Royal Ballet of Flanders. His creations have been introduced to the repertoires of many ballet companies including Boston Ballet, Ballet National de Marseilles, Het (Dutch) Nationale Ballet, Semperoper Ballet, English National Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, West Australian Ballet, Aalto Ballet Theatre Essen, Slovenian National Ballet, Ballet du Capitole, Vienna State Opera Ballet. In 2013 Dawson was a Jury member of the Prix Benois de la Danse in Moscow and Dance Open International Ballet Festival in St Petersburg. Crystal Pite Canadian choreographer and performer Crystal Pite is a former company member of Ballet British Columbia and William Forsythe’s Ballett Frankfurt. Pite’s professional choreographic debut was in 1990, at Ballet British Columbia. Since then, she has created over 40 works for companies such as Nederlands Dans Theater I, Cullberg Ballet, Ballett Frankfurt, The National Ballet of Canada, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (Resident Choreographer, 2001-2004), Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, and Louise Lecavalier/Fou Glorieux. She has also collaborated with Electric Company Theatre and Robert Lepage. Crystal is Associate Choreographer of Nederlands Dans Theater I and Associate Dance Artist of Canada’s National Arts Centre. In 2013, Crystal was appointed Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells, London. In 2002, she formed Kidd Pivot in Vancouver. Integrating movement, original music, text, and rich visual design, Kidd Pivot’s performance work is assembled with recklessness and rigour, balancing sharp exactitude with irreverence and risk. The company’s distinct choreographic language – a breadth of movement fusing classical elements and the complexity and freedom of structured improvisation – is marked by a strong theatrical sensibility and a keen sense of wit and invention. Kidd Pivot tours nationally and internationally, performing such highly-demanded and critically acclaimed works as Dark Matters and Lost Action. Kidd Pivot’s residency at the Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt (2010-2012) provided Pite the opportunity to create and tour The You Show and The Tempest Replica. Most recently, the company has premiered Betroffenheit, a co-creation with playwright and actor Jonathon Young of Electric Company Theatre. Pite is the recipient of the Banff Centre’s Clifford E. Lee Award (1995), the Bonnie Bird North American Choreography Award (2004), and the Isadora Award (2005). Her work has received several Dora Mavor Moore Awards (2009, 2012), and a Jessie Richardson Theatre Award (2006). She is the recipient of the 2008 Governor General of Canada’s Performing Arts Award, Mentorship Program, the 2011 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, the inaugural Lola Award in 2012, and the Canada Council’s 2012 Jacqueline Lemieux Prize. Most recently, she received a Laurence Olivier Award (2015) for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. Sophie Laplane Sophie Laplane trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, winning the Prize of the CNSMDP Mention Bien. Prior to this, she trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School. She danced with Le Ballet de Lorraine from 2003 to 2004 and was a member of The Junior Ballet Classique du Conservatoire de Paris between 2002 and 2003. She joined Scottish Ballet in winter 2004, and was promoted to Coryphée in July 2011. Significant roles have included playing Stella in Lopez’s Ochoa A Streetcar Named Desire and Juliet’s friend in Pastor’s Romeo and Juliet as well as performing in Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling. Sophie Laplane’s Oxymore was showcased at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2013 as part of Scottish Ballet’s Dance Odysseys, was included in Scottish Ballet’s Up Close tour in 2014 and most recently was performed at the TEDx Glasgow event. Laplane created Sink In for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2014 and will debut a new work on Friday at the Independent:BALLET event as part of the Cottier Dance Project. Maze has developed from being part of the Royal Ballet’s Draft Works programme for emerging choreographers and was Laplane’s first work to be performed in a large scale theatre. Christopher Hampson Christopher Hampson joined Scottish Ballet as Artistic Director in August 2012. Christopher trained at the Royal Ballet Schools. His choreographic work began there and continued at English National Ballet, where he danced until 1999 and for whom he subsequently created numerous award-winning works, including Double Concerto, Perpetuum Mobile, Country Garden, Concerto Grosso and The Nutcracker. Christopher’s Romeo and Juliet, created for the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB), was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award (Best New Production 2005) and his production of Giselle for the National Theatre in Prague has been performed every year since its premiere in 2004. Christopher created Sinfonietta Giocosa for the Atlanta Ballet (USA) in 2006 and after a New York tour it received its UK premiere with ENB in 2007. He created Cinderella for RNZB in 2007, which was subsequently hailed as Best New Production by the New Zealand Herald and televised by TVNZ in 2009. His work has toured Australia, China, the USA and throughout Europe. His most recent commissions are Dear Norman (Royal Ballet, 2009); Sextet (Ballet Black/ROH2, 2010); Silhouette (RNZB, 2010), Rite of Spring (Atlanta Ballet, 2011), Storyville (Ballet Black/ROH2, 2012) nominated for a National Dance Award 2012, and Hansel & Gretel (Scottish Ballet 2013). Christopher is a co-founder of the International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague and has been a guest teacher for English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Bonachela Dance Company, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and the Genée International Ballet Competition. Christopher’s work now forms part of the Solo Seal Award for the Royal Academy of Dance. In June 2015, Christopher was announced as the CEO / Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet.