Jan McNulty

Post moved to this thread as requested Kat.

Rambert: Triptych A triple bill of exciting dance from one of the UK’s best-loved contemporary dance companies. Mark Baldwin, Shobana Jeyasingh, Ashley Page Sadler’s Wells Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 November, 2014 Tickets £12 - £38 Rambert is Britain’s national dance company. Its new triptych of dances takes you inside a series of unique worlds, from underground depths, through uncharted territories, to the outer-reaches of the cosmos. They are created by three of Britain's most exciting choreographers, and brought to life by Rambert's peerless company of world-class dancers. Subterrain is an enigmatic voyage underground, with five couples displaying grace and power in former Scottish Ballet Director Ashley Page's sensuous work. Terra Incognita is choreographed ground-breaking dancemaker Shobana Jeyasingh "one of our most imaginative theatrical auteurs". Her distinctive style combines mathematical rhythmic patterns from classical Indian dance with contemporary movement, and the piece draws on urban legends and ancient cartography to look at the politics and power of journeying into the unknown. The recent discovery of the 'God Particle' inspires The Strange Charm of Mother Nature, choreographed by Rambert Artistic Director Mark Baldwin. In three movements representing the phenomena of the cosmos, the dancers fizz with the energy of the miniscule building blocks that created life, the universe and everything. The performance is accompanied throughout by live orchestral music, ranging from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto no 3, through Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks, to original compositions by Gabriel Prokofiev and Cheryl Frances-Hoad. Fuelled by this music, and packed with vivid dancing, Rambert's Triptych is a thrilling spectacle. Beautiful and breathtaking, it will live long in your memory. Notes to Editors: Sadler’s Wells Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4TN 0844 412 4300 sadlerswells.com Tue 18 – Sat 22 November 2014 Evenings 7.30pm Tickets £12 - £38 Transaction fee applies to online (£1.75) and phone bookings (£2.50). No fee in person at Sadler’s Wells. Discounts and concessions available, see sadlerswells.com/terms Insight Matinees Thu 1.30pm & Sat 2.30pm Tickets £8 - £20 (family ticket £40) Features Terra Incognita and The Strange Charm of Mother Nature, plus special introduction Save 20% when you buy tickets for two or more participating Sadler’s Wells or Peacock Theatre shows. Seesadlerswells.com/save Free pre-show talks: Wed & Fri 6.30pm Sign language interpreted performance and talk on Wed rambert.org.uk CREDITS AND CASTING Gabriel Prokofiev – Music and composer Jean-Marc Puissant – Design Lucy Carter – Lighting design

Updated Principal Casting for English National Ballet’s Nutcracker and Swan Lake at the London Coliseum Nutcracker returns to the London Coliseum this Christmas from Thursday 11 December 2014 - Sunday 4 January 2015 . Nutcracker sees Guest Artist Mathias Dingman’s debut performance with English National Ballet. He performs in the role of the Prince, alongside Erina Takahashi’s Clara and Fabian Reimair’s Nutcracker. Mathias Dingman trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC. He joined Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2006 and is currently First Soloist. Dingman has performed in a variety of productions including The Dream, La Fille mal gardée, Cinderella and Aladdin. In 2006 he won the Gold Medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition. First performed in 2010 to celebrate English National Ballet’s 60th anniversary, Wayne Eagling’s version ofNutcracker has since been seen by over 300,000 people. This is English National Ballet’s 11th production of Nutcracker since it performed its first full length Nutcracker in 1950, its founding year. Since then, English National Ballet has established the tradition of performing Nutcracker at Christmas every year. From Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January, English National Ballet return to the London Coliseum with Derek Deane’s critically acclaimed Swan Lake, following a UK tour. Swan Lake sees Guest Artist Isaac Hernandez, Principal at Dutch National Ballet, perform alongside Erina Takahashi. He is joined by previously announced Guest Artists Ivan Vasiliev, Alban Lendorf and Vitor Luiz who perform alongside Alina Cojocaru, Tamara Rojo and Fernanda Oliveira respectively. Currently a Principal with Dutch National Ballet, Isaac Hernandez has previously performed with San Francisco Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Hernandez won Gold at the USA International Ballet Competition in 2006, Bronze and a special commendation at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 2005, and first place at the International Ballet Competition in Cuba in 2004. Arguably one of the most popular ballets created, Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried’s love for the Swan Queen, Odette, their battle against the evil magician, Rothbart and an encounter with the manipulative Odile. This popular production features Tchaikovsky’s score played live by the Orchestra of English National Ballet. This version of Swan Lake premiered at the London Coliseum in 2000 and has since been seen by over 550,000 people around the UK. As previously announced Swan Lake also sees Lead Principal Elena Glurdjidze’s farewell performance with the Company. Of leaving English National Ballet, Elena Glurdjidze says; “I have spent 12 years of my professional career with English National Ballet and would like to express my immense gratitude to all of the staff, from the artists, directors, to the technical, orchestra and administrative staff. They have been great and it has been an honour and a pleasure working with them. For anyone in the dance profession the audience is what drives us, judges us and makes us happy. English National Ballet’s fans have been amazing and I’d like to say a special thanks to them. I’m leaving English National Ballet with a feeling of pride of what has been achieved and hope to stay in touch with everyone and continue to serve the arts.” Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo says; “Elena is a wonderful dancer and her loyalty to English National Ballet has been greatly appreciated. I wish her the very best for the future.” Updated Principal casting for Nutcracker and Swan Lake can be found below. Please checkwww.ballet.org.uk/swanlake for further announcements. Principal Casting in detail Nutcracker (in the order of Clara, Prince and Nutcracker) London Coliseum Thursday 11 December 2014 – Sunday 4 January 2015 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker Thursday 11 December (press night) – Alina Cojocaru, Alejandro Virelles and Junor Souza Friday 12 December (mat) - Begoña Cao, Arionel Vargas and Ken Saruhashi Friday 12 December (eve) - Erina Takahashi, Mathias Dingman and Fabian Reimair Saturday 13 December (mat) - Fernanda Oliveira, Vitor Luiz and Fernando Bufalá Saturday 13 December (eve) – Tamara Rojo, Junor Souza and Max Westwell Sunday 14 December (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze, Arionel Vargas and Nathan Young Tuesday 16 December (mat) - Fernanda Oliveira, Vitor Luiz and Fernando Bufalá Tuesday 16 December (eve) - Tamara Rojo, Junor Souza and Max Westwell Wednesday 17 December (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze, Arionel Vargas and Nathan Young Wednesday 17 December (eve) - Erina Takahashi, Mathias Dingman and Fabian Reimair Thursday 18 December (mat) - Begoña Cao, Arionel Vargas and Ken Saruhashi Thursday 18 December (eve) - Alina Cojocaru, Alejandro Virelles and Junor Souza Friday 19 December (mat) - Fernanda Oliveira, Vitor Luiz and Fernando Bufalá Friday 19 December (eve) - Alina Cojocaru, Alejandro Virelles and Junor Souza Saturday 20 December (mat) - Shiori Kase, Yonah Acosta and Fernando Bufalá Saturday 20 December (eve) - Erina Takahashi, Mathias Dingman and Fabian Reimair Monday 22 December (mat) - Begoña Cao, Arionel Vargas and Ken Saruhashi Monday 22 December (eve) - Erina Takahashi, Mathias Dingman and Fabian Reimair Tuesday 23 December (mat) – Laurretta Summerscales, Arionel Vargas, Vitor Menezes Tuesday 23 December (eve) - Tamara Rojo, Junor Souza and Max Westwell Wednesday 24 December (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze, Arionel Vargas and Nathan Young Friday 26 December (5pm) - Katja Khaniukova, Ken Saruhashi and Daniele Silingardi Saturday 27 December (mat) - Shiori Kase, Yonah Acosta and Fernando Bufalá Saturday 27 December (eve) – Laurretta Summerscales, Arionel Vargas and Max Westwell Sunday 28 December (mat) - Alina Cojocaru, Alejandro Virelles and Junor Souza Monday 29 December (mat) - Ksenia Ovsyanick, Max Westwell and Fabian Reimair Monday 29 December (eve) - Shiori Kase, Yonah Acosta and Fernando Bufalá Tuesday 30 December (mat) - Katja Khaniukova Ken Saruhashi and Daniele Silingardi Tuesday 30 December (eve) - Tamara Rojo, Junor Souza and Max Westwell Friday 2 January – Laurretta Summerscales, Alejandro Virelles and Max Westwell Saturday 3 January (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze, Arionel Vargas and Nathan Young Saturday 3 January (eve) - Shiori Kase, Yonah Acosta and Fernando Bufalá Sunday 4 January (mat) - Ksenia Ovsyanick, Max Westwell and Fabian Reimair Swan Lake (in the order of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried) London Coliseum Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January 2015 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk Wednesday 7 January (press night) - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Thursday 8 January (mat) – TBC and Junor Souza Thursday 8 January (eve) – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Friday 9 January - Fernanda Oliveira and Vitor Luiz Saturday 10 January (mat) - Erina Takahashi and Isaac Hernandez Saturday 10 January (eve) - Laurretta Sumerscales and Alejandro Virelles Sunday 11 January (mat) - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Tuesday 13 January - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Wednesday 14 January – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Thursday 15 January (mat) - Laurretta Sumerscales and Alejandro Virelles Thursday 15 January (eve) - Erina Takahashi and Isaac Hernandez Friday 16 January - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Saturday 17 January (mat) - Fernanda Oliveira and Vitor Luiz Saturday 17 January (eve) – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Sunday 18 January (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas

WORLD PREMIERE OF LIAM SCARLETT’S THE AGE OF ANXIETYALONGSIDE WORK BY KIM BRANDSTRUP AND CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON CEREMONY OF INNOCENCE / THE AGE OF ANXIETY / AETERNUM Friday 7 – Monday 17 November 2014 The Royal Ballet presents the world premiere of Liam Scarlett’s The Age of Anxiety, his latest work for the Company, alongside the London debut of Kim Brandstrup’s Ceremony of Innocence and Christopher Wheeldon’s Olivier Award-winning Aeternum. The Age of Anxiety is a new ballet inspired by WH Auden’s 1946 poem. Set in war time New York it follows four disparate characters who meet in a bar and try to make sense of their shifting worlds. Led by Principal dancers Laura Morera and Steven McRae The Age of Anxiety is Scarlett’s fourth work for the Royal Ballet. Scarlett was appointed Artist in Residence in 2012 and past work for the Company includes Asphodel Meadows (2010), Sweet Violets (2012) and last year’s Hansel and Gretel (2013). The Triple Bill of one act ballets also features Kim Brandstrup’s Ceremony of Innocence which was originally created for the Benjamin Britten Centenary Celebrations at the Aldeburgh Festival in 2013. Ceremony of Innocenceis set to Britten’s Variation on a Theme of Frank Bridge, and is a subtle response to his final opera Death in Venice.The work features an older protagonist, performed by Principal Edward Watson, looking back on the careless brilliance of his young self, danced by First Artist Marcelino Sambĕ. The programme closes with Royal Ballet Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon's Olivier Award-winningAeternum which was created for The Royal Ballet in 2013. Aeternum is set to Britten’s harrowing Sinfonia da requiem, written in 1940, and is his anguished musical response to the Second World War. This darkly lyrical ballet concludes with an extended duet to create a powerful tribute to the fallen. The cast for Aeternum will include Principal dancers Marianela Nuñez, Federico Bonelli and Nehemiah Kish. Wheeldon’s other recent work for the Company includes two full-length ballets; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which returns to the main stage this Christmas, and the critically acclaimed production of The Winter's Tale which opened earlier this year. --- ENDS --- Generous philanthropic support from The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund, Richard and Delia Baker (Ceremony of Innocence), Mrs Susan A Olde OBE, Karl and Holly Peterson, The Age of Anxiety Production Syndicate and the Friends of Covent Garden (The Age of Anxiety) Ceremony of Innocence / The Age of Anxiety / Aeternum 7, 13, 14, 17 November at 7:30pm / 8 November at 2pm and 7pm CEREMONY OF INNOCENCE Choreography Kim Brandstrup Music Benjamin Britten Costume Design Kandis Cook Designs Leo Warner for 59 Productions Lighting design Jordan Tuinman THE AGE OF ANXIETY Choreography Liam Scarlett Music Leonard Bernstein Designs John Macfarlane Lighting Jennifer Tipton AETERNUM Choreography Christopher Wheeldon Music Benjamin Britten Designs Jean-Marc Puissant Lighting design Adam Silverman Conducted by Barry Wordsworth, Music Director of The Royal Ballet with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. NOTES TO EDITORSBIOGRAPHIES Kim Brandstrup Kim Brandstrup made his Royal Ballet debut in 2005 with Two Footnotes to Ashton. Ceremony of Innocence will be the fifth work presented on the Royal Opera House main stage by Brandstrup, who also won an Olivier Award in 2010 for his Goldberg Variations in the Linbury Studio Theatre. Brandstrup recently created the short film Leda and the Swan for Sampling The Myth as part of the Deloitte Ignite Festival 2014. Brandstrup studied film at the University of Copenhagen and choreography with Nina Fonaroff at the London Contemporary Dance School. He has been working as a choreographer since 1983 and in 1985 founded his own dance company, Arc. Brandstrup work as a choreographer spans dance, theatre and opera. Liam Scarlett Liam Scarlett trained at The Royal Ballet School and danced with The Royal Ballet, retiring as a dancer in 2012 to focus on his choreographic career. In the same year he was appointed The Royal Ballet’s first Artist in Residence. His works for The Royal Ballet include Despite and Vayamos al Diablo (2006), Consolations and Liebestraum (2009 – nominated for a Critics’ Circle Award), Asphodel Meadows (2010 – nominated for a South Bank Award and an Olivier Award, and winner of a Critics’ Circle Award), Sweet Violets, ‘Diana and Actaeon’ from Metamorphosis: Titian 2012(2012), Hansel and Gretel (2013) and the Jubilee pas de deux in celebration of HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Christopher Wheeldon Christopher Wheeldon is Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and danced with the Company 1991–3, where Kenneth MacMillan encouraged him in his choreographic work. For The Royal Ballet he has created the one-act ballets Tryst (2002), DGV: Danse à grande vitesse (2006), Electric Counterpoint(2008), ‘Trespass’ (Metamorphosis: Titian 2012, in collaboration with Alastair Marriott) and Aeternum, and the full-length ballets Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 2011 (The Royal Ballet's first full-length commission in almost 20 years) and The Winter's Tale in 2014.

Links - Thursday, October 23, 2014 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Ashton Quad Bill, London: GJ Dowler, Classical Source Graham Watts, London Dance Review – Australian Ballet, Swan Lake, Berkeley: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter Reviews – Fall for Dance, Program 5, New York: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Mary Cargill, Danceview Times Marina Harss, Random Thoughts Reviews – Tao Dance Theatre, 6,7, London: Louise Levene, FT Graham Watts, London Dance Review – LA Dance Project, Reflections, Murder Ballads, Quintett, New York: Jessica Abejar, Broadway World Special Gallery – Rambert in Rehearsal: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Feature - Degas' Little Dancer: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Q&A – Sasha Waltz: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Review – Dean Moss, johnbrown, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review - Jennifer Monson, Live Dancing Archive, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Trisha Brown Dance Company, Early Works, Melbourne: Jordan Beth Vincent, Sydney Morning Herald Review - Tripspace Projects, Trip the Light Fantastic Toe, London: Alice Robotham, London Dance News – Your Move Modern Dance Festival moves to Hoboken: Summer Dawn Hortillosa, Jersey Journal Preview - Allie Hankins, Like a Sun that pours forth light but never warmth, Portland: Celina Russell, The Oregonian Preview - Théâtre La Tangente and BoucharDanse, L’Implorante, L’Eternal Voyage, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Review - Footnote Dance, The Status of Being, New Plymouth: Holly Shanahan, NZ Theatreview

Hello OccasionalBalletGoer and welcome to the Forum. I do hope you will continue to post.

Links - Wednesday, October 22, 2014 Review – Royal Ballet, Ashton Quad Bill, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Review – Fall for Dance, Program 5, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Tao Dance Theatre, 6,7, London: Reviews: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Mark Monahan, Telegraph Shelley Pinto-Duschinsky, Bachtrack Gallery - Foteini Christofilopolou, DanceTabs Review – Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Ancient Tales programme, New York: Holly Kerr, Broadway World Featurette – Mikhail Baryshnikov in praise of Wendy Whelan: Vanity Fair News – Bessie Awards Honour a Wide World of Dance: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Preview – Dance in Philadelphia: Lew Whittington, Huffington Post Review - Luis Lara Malvacías, (T), New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review - Jessie McCall & Shani Dickens, Tassel me this; Luke Hanna, Eye, Auckland: Raewyn Whyte, NZ Herald Review - Luke Hanna, Eye, Auckland: Kerry Wallis, NZ Theatreview Review – Daisy Sanders, Status Room, Perth: Nerida Dickinson, Australian Stage Review - For the Love of Dance, Auckland: Kerry Wallis, NZ Theatreview

Can't wait to hear your thoughts Jane!

Her posts are evocative and articulate. I look forward to the next installment.

Within the UK, isn't the broadcasting of theatre performances part of the initiative to enable as many people as possible to have access to watching theatre arts? Going back to Manon and tweets, I am sure I would have tweeted gushingly if I had been there!

It's all very well for those based in the London area to be able to queue on the day (assuming they are available to do so during the day) but there are many members of this Forum who are not London-based and who travel many miles to go to ROH. I myself would not travel a significant distance, with the possible need of an overnight stay and, of course, travel costs, without knowing I had a ticket for the performance I wanted to see.

Well I would imagine that the company is wanting to make money Bruce but I have heard that the live broadcasts are horrendously expensive to mount. Although I haven't been to any myself I know many people who do not have the opportunity to go to London to see live performances have relished being able to see the Royal Ballet on the big screen.

Well Coated, it is extremely unlikely (unless I win a Euromillions jackpot) that I would exceed the imposed limits, but I was wondering exactly the same. If I, as a non-Friend, had wanted to book for all nine casts of Manon would I be able to? If I could and Friends could not that is an incredibly unfair system. Is ROH trying to stamp out the possibility of ticket toutery?

I'd just like to add my best wishes to those of GTL and everyone else on the Forum.

Links - Tuesday, October 21, 2014 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Ashton Quad Bill, London: Clement Crisp, FT Graham Watts, London Dance Rym Kechacha, Bachtrack Neil Norman, Stage Reviews – Birmingham Royal Ballet, La Fin du Jour, Miracle in the Gorbals, Flowers of the Forest, London: Clement Crisp, FT Jann Parry, DanceTabs Judith Mackrell, Guardian Neil Norman, Stage Season Roundup – New York City Ballet, New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Reviews – LA Dance Project, Reflections, Murder Ballads, Quintett, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal Melia Kraus-Har, Broadway World Review – Joffrey Ballet, Swan Lake (Wheeldon), Chicago: Carla Escoda, Bachtrack Reviews – Fall for Dance, Programme 4, New York: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Marianne Adams, Danceview Times Lauren Wingenroth, Broadway World Curtain Call Photographs – Wendy Whelan Farewell: Marina Harss, Random Thoughts News – Dance in the UK Theatre Awards 2014: Carmel Smith, London Dance Review - Lucinda Childs, Dance, Paris: Laura Cappelle, FT Review – Los Angeles Ballet, Swan Lake, Los Angeles: Lewis Segal, LA Times Review – Zurich Ballet, Anna Karenina, Zurich: Sarah Batschelet, Bachtrack Preview – Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, New York: Meghan Feeks, Huffington Post Review – Jerome Bel/Theater Hora, Disabled Theatre, London: Jeffrey Gordon Baker, London Dance Glasgow: Andrea Mullaney, Scotsman Review – 13th Floor Dance Theatre, A Wake, San Francisco: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Review – Orlando Ballet, Vampire’s Ball, Orlando: Matthew J Palm, Orlando Sentinel Review - Ballet Memphis, River Project: Moving Currents, Memphis: Jon W Sparks, Commercial Appeal Interview - Alexa Wilson, choreographer: Diana Dekker, Dominion Post

I would definitely go for the ENB production as I am also not a fan of the RB's production. I fully agree with Alison's comments above.

Floss, I love your post about Scenes de Ballet. I saw it at ROH from the amphitheatre in the late 1980s as a ballet-watching newbie and absolutely adored it. Subsequently I saw it performed by BRB at Birmingham Rep from the front stalls when the Hippodrome was being refurbished. I adored it then too. I think it is an absolute masterpiece. I started off watching contemporary dance in the mid-1970s, found ballet boring but was converted by Onegin so I'm not quite sure where that leaves me on the expectations front! Unfortunately I can't get to see the Ashton mixed programme but I envy everyone who is!

OH YES!!!!!

Fly away to Neverland this winter with Northern Ballet Join Wendy, John and Michael this winter as they soar into the night sky and on to the adventure of a lifetime in Northern Ballet’s Peter Pan. This beautiful family ballet with lashings of fairy dust and dastardly pirates returns exclusively to Leeds Grand Theatre from 11 – 20 December 2014. Last performed by Northern Ballet in 2010, Peter Pan is a magical adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s much-loved tale transporting audiences on a journey to a magical land of mermaids and fairies where children can fly and adventures happen every day. But with Captain Hook and his pirates looking for revenge, it’s not plain-sailing as Peter Pan battles to come out on top whilst the life of his faithful sidekick, Tinkerbell, is put in danger and only the audience can save her. Choreographed by Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Nixon OBE, Peter Pan boasts an exceptional creative team including spectacular sets by Olivier Award winning Designer Peter Mumford, and music by Oscar winning ComposerStephen Warbeck (Shakespeare in Love, Billy Elliott). Stunning dancing, death-defying flying stunts and live music byNorthern Ballet Sinfonia complete this magical ballet. David Nixon OBE said: ‘Peter Pan, a story Barrie wrote for children, has made a far-reaching impact on the world, revealing and appealing to the child in all of us. It is perfect entertainment for the entire family and an adventure in every sense of the word, incorporating flying dancers, a crocodile, mermaids and pirates.’ So follow the ‘second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning’ and join Northern Ballet for a festive treat for the whole family. Tickets for Peter Pan at Leeds Grand Theatre are on sale now at leedsgrandtheatre.com or by calling the box office on 0844 848 2700. Peter Pan is adapted by kind permission of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Original production supported by David Lloyd. -ENDS- 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 credits Choreography, Direction & Costume Design David Nixon OBE Co-Direction Patricia Doyle Music Stephen Warbeck Played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia Set & Lighting Design Peter Mumford Design Assistant Ali Allen Flying by The Rigging Team Peter Pan – Tour Dates 2014 Leeds Grand Theatre 11 – 20 Dec 2014 Box Office 0844 848 2700 leedsgrandtheatre.com On sale now Peter Pan – Step Closer Events Leeds, Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre Family Workshop – Sun 14 Dec 2014, 1pm – 3.15pm A family workshop based around Peter Pan including a creative dance session, craft activities and afternoon tea. £15 per child. Call 0113 220 8008 to book or visit theatreleeds.com Leeds Grand Theatre Keep Dancing for the Over 55s – Thu 18 Dec 2014, 9.15am – 12.15pm Dance workshop on stage followed by Northern Ballet Revealed including an opportunity to watch Company Class. £12 or £10 for Friends of Northern Ballet Call 0844 848 2700 to book Leeds Grand Theatre Northern Ballet Revealed – Thu 18 Dec 2014, 10.45am – 12.15pm Thirty minute talk about the Company and Peter Pan followed by the opportunity to watch Company Class. £4 or FREE for Friends of Northern Ballet Call 0844 848 2700 to book For more information visit northernballet.com/astepcloser

Yes, I had heard Lin!

Bruce, I don't think that is necessary. Your second post clarified that you were being light-hearted.

Well Bruce, I didn't like the tone of it either! Although I am sure that capybara will respond if he/she wants to.

Hell DancerMiax and welcome to the Forum. Good luck with your auditions.

Hello Dedicated Mum and welcome to the Forum. Please let us know how you get on!

Here's a link to the Jennifer Ellison Fame Academy website. It has a page (blogs) about the faculty. Be warned that there is a very loud voice over on the home page so you may wish to turn your volume down before you open the page. I doubt if I shall be watching the show...