Jan McNulty

I think they are mentioned in the 2015/16 season for a mixed programme at the Linbury. Funnily enough I was thinking of contacting them via FB to see if the dates have been announced yet (apart from Edinburgh where they are included in the brochure I got through the post today).

I have had a totally impeded view on row B in the stalls. I like row A if I can get it, although some people seem to think they are a little low. Otherwise I find sitting at the side, giving a diagonal view is better than sitting in the centre.

Royal Opera House to host London Première of Northern Ballet’s enchanting ballet for children Following sell-out performances during its extensive national tour and the recent CBeebies television adaptation,Northern Ballet’s latest ballet for children, Elves & the Shoemaker, will have its London Première at The Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House on Saturday 16 May. To book tickets visit northernballet.com/elves. This is the first time one of the Company’s ballets for children has been performed in Covent Garden.Choreographed by Northern Ballet’s Ballet Master Daniel de Andrade, Elves & the Shoemaker is the latest in Northern Ballet’s award-winning series of Short Ballets for Small People which already includes the hugely popular Ugly Duckling and Three Little Pigs. The short ballets have been seen live by more than 30,000 people and on TV by more than 1.4 million people in the CBeebies TV adaptations, for which Ugly Duckling received a Children’s BAFTA and Three Little Pigs has received a Children’s BAFTA nomination. Northern Ballet is committed to bringing new audiences to dance and reaching more people in more cities around the UK who may have not experienced dance before. The pioneering series of original ballets have been specially created to introduce families and young children across the UK to live dance, music and theatre. Nine children from St. Anthony’s Primary School in Leeds were involved in the creation of Elves & the Shoemaker and attended rehearsals at Northern Ballet’s headquarters, working with Daniel de Andrade to give their feedback on the ballet. Masters in storytelling, Northern Ballet has re-imagined the famous Brothers Grimm story about a poor and hard-working shoemaker who receives some much-needed help from two elves. This enchanting, entertaining and heart-warming production will last approximately 40 minutes. Elves & the Shoemaker is set to an original score composed by Philip Feeney and played live by an ensemble of musicians from Northern Ballet Sinfonia, with set designs by Ali Allen. Daniel de Andrade, Choreographer of Elves & the Shoemaker and Artistic Director of Short Ballets for Small People, said, ‘We are absolutely delighted to be giving young children and their families the opportunity to experience our latest children’s ballet. The children’s ballets are classic tales beautifully retold through dance and are a perfect introduction to ballet. We hope to inspire children and their families through these entertaining and enchanting performances to develop a love for live dance, music and theatre. I’m really pleased that this time we are bringing our ballet for children to the Royal Opera House and we look forward to giving even more audiences the chance to experience this truly magical production.’ Tickets for Elves & the Shoemaker at The Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House are currently sold out but please contact the box office on 0207 304 4000 to enquire about returns. Northern Ballet will also perform a Mixed Programme at the Linbury Studio Theatre from Tue 12 – Thu 14 May 2015. Tickets can be booked online at roh.org.uk or by calling the box office on 0207 304 4000. Notes to Editors Voted Best European Company at the 2014 Taglioni European 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 24 weeks of the year. The Company of 46 dancers tours a combination of new works and established repertoire to cities throughout the UK and is the only large scale ballet company to do so. Visit northernballet.com for more information on the Company and tour. Production images and information are available via the online media centre. Royal Opera House - Linbury Studio Dance Programme The Linbury Studio Theatre is programmed by The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera as part of the Royal Opera House Season. The Royal Ballet’s Studio Programme aims to build coherence across dance performances on the main stage, in the Linbury and other spaces. The studio also includes a variety of choreographic projects involving both young and established choreographers and dancers from inside the Company and from the wider dance community. Elves & the Shoemaker 2015 Tour Listings Milton Keynes Theatre Fri 1 May 12pm & 2pm Box Office 0844 871 7652 atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes London Linbury Studio Theatre at Royal Opera House Sat 16 May 1pm, 3pm & 5pm Box Office 020 7304 4000 roh.org.uk Doncaster The Cast Sat 23 May 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 01302 303 959 castindoncaster.com Blackpool Grand Theatre Wed 27 May 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 01253 290 190 blackpoolgrand.co.uk Liverpool Playhouse Sat 30 May 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 0151 709 4776 everymanplayhouse.com Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Wed 3 June 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 01902 429 212 grandtheatre.co.uk Leicester Curve Theatre Sat 6 June 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 0116 242 3595 curveonline.co.uk Richmond Theatre Wed 10 June 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 0844 871 7651 atgtickets.com/richmond-theatre Bromley The Churchill Theatre Sat 13 June 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 08448 817 620 atgtickets.com/the-churchill-theatre-bromley Stoke-on-Trent Regent Theatre Wed 17 June 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 0844 871 7627 atgtickets.com/regent-theatre Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Sat 20 June 12.30pm & 2.15pm Box Office 0844 871 7607 atgtickets.com/aylesbury-waterside-theatre

Hate to tell you this Trog but Celine and Kit got married last summer!

I don't feel comfortable seeing Alain played as a simpleton, I prefer it when he is portrayed as a gauche young man with no social skills. On its last outing with BRB (last summer) Kit Holder moved me to tears.

Hello Katie and welcome to the Forum. I am moving your post to the Doing Dance Forum where it is more likely to be seen and responded to. Good luck with your course!

I thoroughly enjoyed the matinee this afternoon. I thought Yuhui Choe was absolutely delightful as Lise, her acting was spot on and some of her facial expressions could only be described as exquisite. She is a very gentle Lise and I think her interpretation works very well. For me, Alex Campbell was the very epitome of Colas - a cheeky chap but loving and his dancing was sublime. I loved their interactions and I found the final duet very moving for some reason. I'm so glad I braved travelling on the train on a Sunday. I think this performance highlighted for me just why Fille is one of the perfect ballets!

As a ballet-watcher I prefer not to look at stick insects. Fortunately I don't see too many in the companies that I follow and those that are - it seems to be their natural build.

So sorry to hear DD2 has had another blip in her recovery Regattah. Positive thoughts and virtual hugs winging their way to you. Jxx

There's a Cafe Rouge on the opposite side of Kingsway to the Peacock. As Alison said, loads of choice in the area.

I don't believe SB had Fille in their rep until after she had left. (The production and also Two Pigeons was very generously lent to SB by BRB when the company was in serious danger of closing.) I didn't think Ms Rojo was a natural Swanilda when I saw her last summer and can't imagine her as Lise either.

Sad news as another great critic and writer passes away. RIP

I loathe the music for "Dance of the girls with the lilies" (the bit where they come in to wake Juliet up) and any production that uses that music has points deducted by me!

Oh yes! Ghost Dances and Swan Song, Both absolute masterpieces. I think I would also add Act 3 of Napoli - one of the most joyous celebrations of pure dance to ever grace the stage. I know there are 2 acts before it but it is performed on its own!

Gosh Angela, this sounds as if it is getting really nasty and will benefit no-one. Thanks, as ever, for keeping us posted.

How could I have forgotten to mention the utter perfection of the sublimely moving Enigma Variations? It's not a huge surprise that Ashton features largely in this thread but I would be interested to hear what any North American members think, for example.

The Bolshoi, I believe, now perform Ashton's Fille but there is another production by Gorsky performed by many Russian companies.

A nice photo gallery from Sheffield: http://www.carolineholden.co.uk/index.php/dance/153-professional/northern-ballet-wuthering-heights-2015/142-northern-ballet-wuthering-heights-2015

A good review from Southampton: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/12908935.REVIEW__Wuthering_Heights_by_Northern_Ballet_at_the_Mayflower_Theatre__Southampton/ If all went to plan, 2 new casts have come aboard this week and Saturday evening will be a real treat with Julie Charlet coming back to guest with Kenny Tindall. It would be great to hear thoughts from anyone who has been to Southampton.

Which R&J TTP. For me the MacMillan comes nowhere close to Morricone/Gable and Ashton (as performed by LFB as was). I would have to say Fille fills me with joy every time I see it, as does Two Pigeons and The Dream. David Bintley's Hobsons Choice also ticks all my boxes as does David Nixon's Madame Butterfly.

But perhaps not on a prestigious tour to Japan when there are so few opportunities for the other leading dancers on this tour?

Just saw your post after I'd written mine. I couldn't agree more. Both Chi Cao and Cesar Morales are superlative Seigfrieds. Mind you, Japanese fans are being treated to Celine and Tyrone!

It looks to me as though the company are not taking their full roster of principals and probably not all the lower ranks either. As they are so fondly regarded in Japan after being one of the only companies not to cancel in 2011 I do wonder why they need a guest artist, however stellar he may be in Japan. Or perhaps the rest of the company is busy preparing as much in advance as possible for midscale and beyond?

A late friend of mine used to describe so and so or such and such as a soubrette. Of those dancers that I knew I found they tended to make the best of Giselles too. I, probably erroneously, always thought of Agnes Oakes as a soubrette and because I of some of her performances I enjoyed I always link Swanilda and Giselle in my mind so if a dancer is good in one role I expect her to be as good in the other. Mind you she was also the most sublime of Auroras.

And a pet hate of mine. I just had a shock on my way home from Waitrose (and it's only 3 weeks since I went up that road). For some time a road has been being built from the M57/M58 junction to the road that leads through Thornton up to Southport. Well blummin' 'eck the shape of the road coming home has completely changed! It has been moved away from the current road going out (although I suspect that the next phase is to move that too) and a roundabout has appeared for which there was a whacking great queue to get on!! OK if the roadworks improve things but I am reserving judgement on this one!