Jan McNulty

Press Release: Fallen Angels Dance Theatre to perform at Russell Brand book launch Chester based Fallen Angels Dance Theatre have been personally invited by Russell Brand to perform at his latest book launch "Revolution" in London. Artistic Director Paul Bayes Kitcher says "It is an absolute honour and privilege to be invited to perform at such a prestigious event as I really believe in the amazing work Russell does surrounding breaking down stigma regarding addiction. I have always been a big fan and this is a dream come true for Fallen Angels" Fallen Angels have just become a registered charity and as a celebration just performed in front of 8000 people in recovery in Manchester at the UK Recovery Walk and as part of the launch also just performed in front of a full house last wednesday at the Lowry Studio. The new work "Upon Awakening" explores themes of addiction into recovery looking into the struggles and pain people go through to be able to step into the light and recover. "We will also be performing in London this year at the Royal Opera House Clore Studio and as far as I am aware this is the first time that Addicts and Alcoholics have ever performed in such a prestiges theatre, what an honour this is for us. We have also had some wonderful people mentoring and supporting us like world renowned Director & Choreographer Kate Flatt Theatre - Les Miserable, Turandot, Dr Faustus, Fiddler on the Roof, Chaplin and Theatre and Movie Producer Robert Fox - Iris, The Hours, Notes On A Scandal, Atonement. We are so grateful to everyone that has helped us on our journey and its true in recovery things really do happen beyond your wildest dreams!!"

I must admit I was a bit surprised, I thought you might have had the chance to see NB's glorious new production of Cinderella. I'm not going to complain though, because it's another chance for me to enjoy Gatsby. And of course, NB are in a diamond and platinum phase at the moment so are absolutely unmissable!

A couple of people on this thread have mentioned that school dance teachers are not always supportive of committed dance students. I wonder if they (the teachers) feel intimidated by the level of achievement of the children in dance outside their classes?

Well, I assume the theatre wanted it back!

Curious Seed in association with MOKO Dance present Chalk About AUTMUMN 2014 TOUR & SADLER’S WELLS DATES “Some of the most brilliantly imaginative, humorous, touching theatre I have seen this year” The Times This autumn the national dance partnership MOKO Dance is delighted to present award-winning performance company Curious Seed in a nationwide tour of Chalk About, a family dance theatre show to delight children and adults alike. Chalk About is the result of a creative relationship between Christine Devaney and Leandro Kees that began in November 2011 when the two artists met at the very first Fresh Tracks Europe - a youth dance network for a new generation of choreographers. Working together for 10 days Devaney and Kees began to explore the nature of identity through a series of questions: What makes us who we are? Is it where we are from? Or how we talk? Is it the way we dance? Our pasts or our futures? The work was developed into a full-length show for young audiences which premiered at the Imaginate Festival in Edinburgh in 2013. Subsequently, as both artists live in different countries and have their own performance companies, they decided to extend their reach and perform the piece with their respective companies and new performance partners, which has resulted in the creation of two similar versions ofChalk About that tour independently. Following a critically lauded run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer, the national tour of Devaney’s UK version will begin at Greenwich Dance, London on 18 October, before visiting 14 more venues across the UK including performances at Sadler’s Wells in November. Devaney says, “When we presented Chalk About at the Imaginate Festival in 2013, I couldn’t have envisaged the journey that it would take us on! I am delighted to have MOKO Dance as our first touring partner and super excited to be bringing Chalk About to such fantastic venues. I’m really looking forward to sharing this work with audiences throughout England.” Curious Seed was founded in 2005 by Scottish choreographer and performer, Devaney. The vision of the company is to create engaging, thought provoking, uncompromising performance work with physical expression at its core. The company is committed to exploring new ways of challenging and developing the scope of movement-based performance. There is an emphasis on engaging in a process that evolves and is appropriate to each project. Curious Seed has a history of collaborating with a core of outstanding artists across the arts – musicians, actors, designers and film-makers. Previous productions include the solo work Almost, But Not Quite for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2005), and Code Butterfly, a large scale site-specific work for young women (2007). Their production of found was presented to great acclaim during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009 and went on to win a Scotsman Fringe First Award and a Total Theatre Award nomination. The company’s recent work includes P U S Hwhich toured Scotland in 2012; and an Edinburgh Fringe run of The Woman Who Wants to be Funny (2012). Following a hugely popular spring tour from Spanish company Aracaladanza, Chalk About marks MOKO Dance’s fourth presentation since its launch in 2013. The national dance partnership enjoyed a successful opening year in 2013 where two acclaimed tours (new double bill MOKO Mix commissioned and produced by MOKO Dance and gobbledegook’s In A Deep Dark Wood) delighted audiences around the country. MOKO Dance will continue to promote an all-encompassing dance experience for children, their families and schools with a range of front of house activities, workshops, online forums and educational resources available in addition to the live performances. Supported by Arts Council England, MOKO Dance is a national dance touring partnership dedicated to opening the eyes of children and their families to the power of dance. Led by DanceEast (Ipswich), MOKO Dance unites Dance City (Newcastle), Lakeside Arts (Nottingham), Pavilion Dance South West (Bournemouth), Sadler’s Wells (London), South East Dance (Brighton and Kent) and Theatre Bristol (Bristol) in their shared vision of bringing bold and innovative work to audiences across the UK. Press Quotes “Expressive... delightful ... elegantly choreographed” Metro “Uplifting and thought provoking, this is a show that will stay with me... a 5 star show, see it if you can!” Primary Times “Utterly engaging” The Herald “Beautiful, heartfelt… immensely funny” Broadway Baby “Brave, honest and delightful… full of a rich sense of the joy of human difference” The Scotsman Tour Dates Greenwich Dance, London - Saturday 18 October www.greenwichdance.org.uk | 020 8293 9741 Nottingham Lakeside Arts - Sunday 19 October www.lakesidearts.org.uk | 0115 846 7777 Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln - Wednesday 22 & Thursday 23 October www.lincolndrillhall.com | 01522 873894 The Point, Eastleigh - Saturday 25 October www.thepointeastleigh.co.uk | 023 8065 2333 Brighton Dome, Brighton - Tuesday 28 October www.brightondome.org | 01273 709709 Dance City, Newcastle - Thursday 30 October www.dancecity.co.uk | 0191 261 0505 Sadler’s Wells, London - Saturday 1 & Sunday 2 November www.sadlerswells.com | 0844 412 4300 Key Theatre, Peterborough - Friday 7 November www.vivacity-peterborough.com | 01733 207239 Déda, Derby - Saturday 8 November www.deda.uk.com | 01332 370 911 Embrace Arts, Leicester - Sunday 9 November www2.le.ac.uk/hosted/embracearts | 0116 252 2455 Pavilion Dance South West, Bournemouth - Tuesday 11 November www.pdsw.org.uk | 01202 203630 Artsdepot, London - Saturday 15 November www.artsdepot.co.uk | 020 8369 5454 DanceEast, Jerwood DanceHouse, Ipswich - Sunday 16 & Tuesday 18 November www.danceeast.co.uk | 01473 295230 Circomedia, Bristol - Thursday 20 & Friday 21 November www.circomedia.com | 0117 924 7615 Gulbenkian, Canterbury - Saturday 22 November www.thegulbenkian.co.uk | 01227 769075

My friend and I seem to have accidentally booked for the front row of the stalls! (In the side block). Please come and say hello if you see us!

Northern Ballet are bringing Great Gatsby to Sadler's Wells 24-28 March 2015. The date has been published on the Company website.

Thanks for posting the details Bluebird. Needless to say, my friend and I have booked for 15th October! Some great casts - wish I could do more.

Now Canadians are taking over dates as well as the world Katherine!

Tenacity – Phoenix at Home (24 - 27 Sept) Phoenix Dance Theatre celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the ground-breaking 1964 Civil Rights Act Phoenix Dance Theatre proudly presents Tenacity (24-27 Sept), a specially curated programme that commemorates 50 years of the Civil Rights Act; a landmark piece of American legislation that allowed voices to be heard and actions to have meaning and which became a catalyst for change in many parts of the world. Presented at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds Tenacity is a mixed bill curated from Phoenix’s archive, reflecting the company’s own heritage through a range of choreographic voices and paying tribute to the global civil rights movement. Alesandra Seutin’s1976 tells the story of the Soweto uprising in South Africa, where a group of children were shot dead amidst a bloody protest for their rights. Longevity is an emotional duet by Gary Lambert, inspired by Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a Dream’ speech delivered during the Civil Rights March on Washington in 1963. The Audacious One, by Warren Adams is a taut, passionate look into a world of political intrigue and power. Based on Barack Obama’s keynote address ‘The Audacity of Hope’ it examines the question ‘What do we do once we agree to disagree?’ 24 - 27 Sept - Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7PA Box Office: 0113 220 8008 To accompany the Tenacity season Phoenix Dance Theatre presents a unique multi-media Symposium on Saturday 27 September– including dance, lectures, film and audience discussions – that further explores how dance and choreography address historical and current political issues. The Symposium, organized by Christy Adair and Ramsay Burt, considers the history in this programme not only in the selected works but in the dancers engaged to deliver them and explores how movement can approach historical moments and express the forces and debates that fuelled them. For more info: Book Online: www.theatreleeds.com National Tour Phoenix will then head back on the road for a 7-venue national tour with its new triple bill of exciting and musically diverse dance works – featuring a debut work for the company from choreographic duo Ivgi & Greben – as part of its 2014 national tour, including a week-long season at Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London (25-29 Nov). The London season features a double bill by Christopher Bruce CBE including Shadows, a brand new work created especially for Phoenix Dance Theatre and a restaging of Christopher’s classic study of life in the 1940’s, Shift. Having choreographed works for leading dance companies across the globe, this is the first time that Phoenix will perform any of this renowned choreographer’s work. This new company repertory programme, a trademark Phoenix Dance Theatre mixed bill, includes new work from Darshan Singh Bhuller and a company revival for Didy Veldman’s sensational See Blue Through. Powerful, relentless and hard hitting, Document is the first UK work by exciting Amsterdam-based choreographic duo Ivgi & Greben. Set to music by long term collaborator Tom Parkinson this brooding new piece sees five dancers grappling with the darkest aspects of human emotion, building to fill the stage with blistering, intense movement. Didy Veldman’s See Blue Through plunges the stage into a fascinating, mysterious undersea world. Featuring sensuous, elastic choreography and costumes, this audience favourite was first performed by the company in 2005. See Blue Throughwas premiered by the Ballet Gulbenkian in 2001. Inspired by his father’s journey from East to West, Mapping is former Phoenix Artistic Director Darshan Singh Bhuller’s first work for the company since 2006. One of the leading voices in British dance, this new work sees Bhuller looking down on the world from above, and is packed with his signature thrilling, dynamic and inventive choreography. Mapping 1, 2 & 3 were originally developed with Ballet Central and the full re-working of Mapping represents the final choreographic journey of this piece. Dates Venue Box Office 2 Oct The Lowry, Salford 0843 208 6000 10 Oct Barnsley Civic 01226 327 000 14 Oct The Castle Theatre, Wellingborough 01933 270 007 22 Oct Victoria Theatre, Halifax 01422 351158 12 &13 Nov York Theatre Royal 01904 623568 19 Nov Nottingham Playhouse 0115 941 9419 25-29 Nov Linbury Studio Theatre, ROH, London 01484 430528 ** ** (Mapping, Document, plus Christopher Bruce’s Shadow & Shift) NOTES TO EDITORS: Sharon Watson – Phoenix Dance Theatre Artistic Director Sharon Watson was appointed as the 7th Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre in May 2009. Trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance, Sharon danced with Spiral and Extemporary Dance Theatre before joining Phoenix as a dancer from 1989 to 1997. During this time Sharon choreographed Never Still and Shaded Limits for Phoenix as well as creating new works for the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, National Youth Dance Company, Union Dance and a specially commissioned piece for the opening ceremony of the Royal Armouries in Leeds. She formed ABCD in 1998 and returned to Phoenix in 2000 as the company’s Rehearsal and Tour Director. In 2006 she embarked upon a fellowship with the Clore Leadership Programme and in 2008 she was one of 26 aspiring leaders from around the globe selected to attend Dance East’s fourth Rural Retreat. Sharon was named as one of the Cultural Leadership Programme’s Women to Watch, a list of 50 influential women working in arts and culture in the UK selected by a distinguished panel made up of figures from the cultural and creative industries. Phoenix Dance Theatre Formed in 1981 in inner-city Leeds, Phoenix Dance Theatre has grown to be one of Britain's leading international dance companies. As a repertory company, Phoenix aims to bring together the best choreographers from the international contemporary dance world. A diverse company of dancers works with these choreographers and the Artistic Director to create innovative work, which is communicative, highly accessible and represents the cultural diversity and experience of life in multi-cultural society. Phoenix is inclusive and open to people from all backgrounds. The company has a commitment to widening access to dance through its education, audience development and creative programmes. Phoenix Dance Education’s highly acclaimed programme of education work promotes participation in the arts as a stimulating and creative pursuit within schools and community settings.The company takes on dance apprentices and dancers are encouraged to develop their skills as teachers and choreographers. Sharon Watson was appointed as Artistic Director in 2009. A more detailed history of Phoenix is available at www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk

I haven't seen any myself Margaret but I know a couple of people who have seen My First Coppelia. If Swan Lake follows the same pattern there will be a narrator. Both my friends who have seen a My First said that the young children they were with loved them and had no difficulty in understanding.

RAMBERT’S AUTUMN LINE-UP: Rambert is Britain’s national dance company. Its programme of world-class dance touring the UK this autumn includes two new creations alongside a selection of contemporary classics. Artistic Director Mark Baldwin’s new creation, The Strange Charm of Mother Nature, will premiere at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth September 24. This work continues Baldwin’s fascination with scientific discovery, following recent pieces inspired by Einstein’s physics and by Darwin’s theories of evolution. The Strange Charm of Mother Nature is inspired by a visit to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the recent discovery of the Higgs boson 'God Particle'. The work is in three movements representing the different particles and rays that are the fundamental building blocks of our universe. The movements are accompanied by JS Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks and a new piece composed by Cheryl Frances-Hoad (a former Rambert Music Fellow), each musical works illustrating a continuing tradition, acknowledging the influence of the one that went before. Spectacular lighting representing the beauty and majesty of the cosmos is by Mark Henderson. Shobana Jeyasingh’s Terra Incognita premieres at Sadler’s Wells in London, and is the ground-breaking choreographer’s first work for the Company. Jeyasingh’s distinctive style is influenced by the elaborate patterning of Indian classical dance and music, and Terra Incognita draws on urban legends and ancient cartography to look at the politics and power of journeying into the unknown. The new electro-acoustic score is by composer, DJ and producer Gabriel Prokofiev, whose other recent commissions include a violin concerto marking the 100th anniversary of the First World War for the 2014 BBC Proms season. The work features set and costumes by award-winning designer Jean-Marc Puissant and lighting by Lucy Carter. Christopher Bruce’s homage to the swinging sixties, Rooster, is propelled by the rock ‘n’ roll swagger of the Rolling Stones. Sharp-suited, snake-hipped men and strong, sassy women perform virtuoso courtship dances set to some of the Stones’ most famous tunes, including Not Fade Away, Paint It Black, As Tears Go By, Sympathy for the Devil and Little Red Rooster. First performed by Rambert in 1994 and back on the UK stage for the first time in 13 years, Rooster is firmly established as a modern classic and an audience favourite. Also featured in Rambert’s autumn tour repertoire are recent commissions and revivals of seminal pieces. Lucinda Childs’ minimalist Four Elements, revived by the Company earlier this year, joins Barak Marshall’s darkly comic dance theatre creation The Castaways. Ashley Page’s atmospheric Subterrain, also features, alongside Merce Cunningham’s iconicSounddance and Richard Alston’s classic short solo, Dutiful Ducks. RAMBERT REVEALED Rambert Revealed is a week-long programme of events, tours and classes and runs from Monday 13 – Saturday 18 October. There will be opportunities for people to get a sneak preview of Rambert’s newest dance works, to gain insight into the choreographic process, to explore the company’s extensive archive, and much more. Highlights include a rehearsal with full orchestra of Shobana Jeyasingh’s new work, with a specially commissioned score byGabriel Prokofiev, ahead of its world premiere in November 2014, and a session exploring the choreographic possibilities of Shakespeare texts, in partnership with the London Shakespeare Centre. Late at Rambert showcases the critically acclaimed work of Rambert’s associate company New Movement Collective and its recent music fellow, the composer Kate Whitley. The week concludes with “A day in the life of Rambert” where budding performers aged 16-19 can learn first-hand from company members about what it takes to be a professional dancer. The programme also includes daily dance classes for adults from beginner to professional level, and guided tours of Rambert’s building, which won a 2014 RIBA National Award as one of the best new buildings of the year. Full details of the programme and how to book are at www.rambert.org.uk/rambert_revealed Monday 13 October 4.30pm Insight to technique class and repertoire rehearsal Rambert’s Rehearsal Directors work with the company’s dancers to demonstrate classical and contemporary technique exercises, followed by the dancers being coached in two works from the current repertoire: Mark Baldwin’s The Strange Charm of Mother Nature and Christopher Bruce’s Rooster. Tuesday 14 October 5pm Rehearsal with orchestra for Terra Incognita An open rehearsal with Rambert dancers and orchestra for Terra Incognita, a new work by Shobana Jeyasingh with a new music score by Gabriel Prokofiev, which has its premiere at Sadler’s Wells in November 2014. Wednesday 15 October 5pm Choreographing Shakespeare In partnership with the London Shakespeare Centre at King’s College London, Rambert is exploring how Shakespeare text can be used as a starting point for creating choreography. This session will be a sharing of ideas and work developed during a joint workshop between Rambert and the London Shakespeare Centre. Friday 16 October 6.45pm Late at Rambert with New Movement Collective and Kate Whitley Open rehearsal of Rambert Associate Company New Movement Collective’s work Casting Traces, followed by a music recital by Rambert’s most recent Music Fellow Kate Whitley. Saturday 18 October 10.30am – 5.00pm A Day in the Life of Rambert for dancers aged 16 – 19 years This is a day for aspiring young dancers to gain an insight in to working the working life of a dancer. The day will include the chance to observe company class, a Q&A with Rambert dancers, as well as participating in technique class and a repertoire masterclass. TOUR Theatre Royal, Plymouth Wed 24 – Fri 26 September theatreroyal.com / 01752 267222 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Strange Charm of Mother Nature (Mark Baldwin) *World premiere Four Elements (Lucinda Childs) The Lowry, Salford Wed 1 – Fri 3 October thelowry.com / 0843 208 6010 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Strange Charm of Mother Nature (Mark Baldwin) Dutiful Ducks (Richard Alston) Sounddance (Merce Cunningham) Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury Wed 8 – Fri 10 October marlowetheatre.com / 01227 787 787 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Strange Charm of Mother Nature (Mark Baldwin) Dutiful Ducks (Richard Alston) Sounddance (Merce Cunningham) Theatre Royal, Nottingham Tue 21 – Thu 23 October trch.co.uk / 0115 989 5555 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Castaways (Barak Marshall) Dutiful Ducks (Richard Alston) Sounddance (Merce Cunningham) Theatre Royal, Bath Thu 30 October – Sat 1 November theatreroyal.org.uk / 01225 448844 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Strange Charm of Mother Nature (Mark Baldwin) Four Elements (Lucinda Childs) Theatre Royal, Norwich Thu 6 and Fri 7 November theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk / 01603 630000 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Strange Charm of Mother Nature (Mark Baldwin) Four Elements (Lucinda Childs) Venue Cymru, Llandudno Thu 13 and Fri 14 November venuecymru.co.uk / 01492 872000 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Castaways (Barak Marshall) Subterrain (Ashley Page) Sadler’s Wells, London Tues 18 – Sat 22 November www.sadlerswells.com / 020 7863 8198 TRYPTICH Terra Incognita (Shobana Jeyasingh) *World premiere The Strange Charm of Mother Nature (Mark Baldwin) Subterrain (Ashley Page) Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Thu 27 – Sat 29 November edtheatres.com / 0131 529 6000 Rooster (Christopher Bruce) The Castaways (Barak Marshall) Terra Incognita (Shobana Jeyasingh)

The solo from Requiem is just beautiful.

Well I think that for British-based fans this is very disappointing! Swan Lake and Coppelia at opposite ends of the country so people probably can't do both and a week at Sadler's Wells which clashes with something else I am planning.

Here is the official Press Release: English National Ballet 2014/2015 Season · English National Ballet presents Modern Masters: Icons of 20th Century Choreography at Sadler’s Wells in March 2015. · Modern Masters includes works by Forsythe, Neumeier and Kylián. · Guest Artists Ivan Vasiliev and Alban Lendorf perform in Swan Lake at the London Coliseum in January 2015. · Ivan Vasiliev’s debut as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake · New members make their Company debuts including Principal Alejandro Virelles. · Two new regional hubs for English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s programme. · My First Ballet series continues with a brand new version of Swan Lake that embarks on a six week UK tour. · Large scale international tour to take place in Summer 2015 From the 10 - 15 March 2015 English National Ballet presents Modern Masters: Icons of 20th Century Choreography, a new triple bill at Sadler’s Wells. The evening’s programme includes works from two choreographers new to the Company’s repertoire, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated and Spring and Fall by John Neumeier. The triple bill also includes Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, first performed by the Company in Ecstasy and Death in 2013. Of Modern Masters Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo says: “After the success of last year’s productions Le Corsaire and Lest We Forget, I am delighted to present Modern Masters, a new triple bill, at Sadler’s Wells, which offers the perfect home for this programme. English National Ballet is committed to presenting the very best of both traditional and contemporary ballet to audiences across the UK, bringing these works to Sadler’s Wells continues this commitment and offers us the opportunity to reach new audiences. I am excited to see the Company perform these works by some of the most influential choreographers. As Artistic Director I am always looking at our dancer’s development and this programme offers them both the challenge and opportunity to develop artistically.” Continuing to bring the very best talent from around the world to a UK audience, this season sees English National Ballet welcomeGuest Artists Ivan Vasiliev and Alban Lendorf, performing with the Company in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake at the London Coliseum from the 7 - 18 January 2015. Vasiliev and Lendorf perform in the role of Prince Siegfried alongside Alina Cojocaru and Tamara Rojo respectively, in the role of Odette/Odile (Full Principal casting details for Swan Lake at the London Coliseum below). This is the first time that Vasiliev has performed the role of Prince Siegfried. Of Vasiliev and Lendorf, Tamara Rojo says: “It is a reflection of English National Ballet’s reputation that we are able to attract outstanding talent from around the world to perform with the Company. I can’t wait to see Ivan partner with Alina and I look forward to performing alongside Alban again in Swan Lake.” One of the most celebrated ballet dancers at the moment, Vasiliev has performed with numerous prestigious companies around the world including American Ballet Theatre (Principal), Bolshoi Ballet and Mariinsky Ballet. Vasiliev took London audiences by storm when he last performed with English National Ballet in Roland Petit’s Le Jeune Homme et la Mort in 2011. Principal with The Royal Danish Ballet, Alban Lendorf has won numerous awards for his performances including the Benois de la Danse Award for his role of Armand Duval in Lady of the Camellias with The Royal Danish Ballet. ’One of the world’s most exceptional dancers’’ (The New York Times), Lendorf first performed as a Guest Artist with English National Ballet in Etudes in 2013 and recently as Franz in Ronald Hynd’s Coppélia in July 2014. This season also sees new Principal Alejandro Virelles join English National Ballet from Boston Ballet. He will perform the lead roles inSwan Lake and Nutcracker on tour and at the London Coliseum. Of joining the Company, Virelles says; “I grew up admiring Tamara Rojo as an artist and I am very excited to work with her at English National Ballet. Being a Principal with the Company has come at the perfect time in my career and I believe Tamara will have many great things to offer me as she is such an incredible talent.” Also joining the Company this season is Precious Adams, who recently finished her training at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and was a double prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne 2014; Yoko Callegari from Boston Ballet; Adriana Lizardi from Ballet National de l’Opera de Bordeaux; Sarah Kundi from Ballet Black and Isabelle Brouwers and Jinhao Zhang who join from English National Ballet School. Continuing to develop its work with Dance for Parkinson’s, English National Ballet expands its regional class programmes to include DanceEast in Ipswich and National Dance Company Wales in Cardiff. They join existing partners Oxford, in partnership with Oxford City Council and Liverpool, in partnership with Merseyside Dance Initiative. Remaining vital to the development of English National Ballet’s younger dancers, the 2015 Emerging Dancer competition will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on the 23 March 2015. Last year’s winner of the Emerging Dancer Award, Junor Souza, has since been promoted to First Soloist and will perform Principal roles in Swan Lake and Nutcracker this season. From the 18 - 20 June 2015 English National Ballet’s platform for emerging dance makers, Choreographics will take place at the Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells. Choreographics offers dancers in the Company the opportunity to create their own work and develop as choreographers as well as performers, collaborating with award-winning choreographer Russell Maliphant, an Associate Artist of the theatre. Continuing its commitment to UK touring and presenting world-class ballet to the widest possible audience, English National Ballet takes its critically acclaimed production of Coppélia to Southampton, Oxford and Bristol; and ahead of its run at the London Coliseum in January 2015 Derek Deane’s Swan Lake tours to Manchester, Milton Keynes and Liverpool. Making ballet accessible to audiences as young as three years old, this season sees the continuation of the popular My First Ballet… series with My First Ballet: Swan Lake. The production runs at the Peacock Theatre, London from the 2 - 12 Aprilfollowed by a six week UK tour including two new venues the Lighthouse, Poole and Curve Theatre, Leicester. Alongside its UK tour programme in Summer 2015 English National Ballet embarks on a large scale international tour, taking world-class British ballet to new audiences around the world and reflecting this country’s rich and diverse cultural identity. The Company tours to Beijing, Singapore, Madrid, Barcelona, Mexico City and Bogota. On Sale Dates: My First Ballet: Swan Lake Members: Friday 19 September 2014 General Public: Wednesday 24 September 2014 My First Ballet: Swan Lake at Curve Theatre, Leicester Members: Monday 29 September 2014 General Public: Thursday 1 October 2014 Emerging Dancer October 2014 My First Ballet: Swan Lake at the Peacock Theatre, London Monday 10 November 2014 Modern Masters: Icons of 20th Century Choreography Monday 10 November 2014 Choreographics Monday 10 November 2014 Full season details below: Dance for Parkinson’s Programmes From October 2014 English National Ballet adds two new regional hubs to its Dance for Parkinson’s programme; DanceEast in Ipswich and National Dance Company Wales in Cardiff. They join existing regional programmes in Oxford, in partnership with Oxford City Council and Liverpool, in partnership with Merseyside Dance Initiative. English National Ballet started working with people with Parkinson’s in 2010, the first major dance company in the UK to do so, since then it has become a leader for Dance for Parkinson’s. Its national Dance for Parkinson’s programme offers people with Parkinson’s, their carers, friends and family members the opportunity to engage in high quality artistic dance activity, inspired by the Company’s repertoire, within a professional dance studio. Extending its outreach programme to these new hubs is integral to English National Ballet’s commitment to raising the public profile of Dance for Parkinson’s, giving access to, and advocating the benefits of dance and cultural activities for people with Parkinson’s. Music@Malling HK Gruber - Frankenstein!! Tuesday 23 - Thursday 25 September 2015 Revelation St. Mary’s, Ashford, Kent Chamber Domaine, English National Ballet and Matthew Sharp collaborate to perform schools concerts including performances of HK Gruber's iconic Frankenstein!! Narrated by Matthew Sharp, who was recently praised in The Daily Telegraph for his "astonishingly comprehensive virtuosity", the concerts are a culmination of workshops across Kent that engage hundreds of children with music and ballet, providing access to leading international performers. The collaborating schools for these two performances are from Ashford. HK Gruber is one of the world's leading contemporary composers and these performances feature new choreography by English National Ballet First Soloist, Fabian Reimar for dancer, Daniele Silingardi and local school children. Swan Lake Wednesday 8 October 2014 - Sunday 18 January 2015 UK Tour English National Ballet takes its full production of Derek Deane’s critically acclaimed Swan Lake on a UK tour to Manchester (8-11 Oct), Milton Keynes (11-15 Nov), Liverpool (18- 22 Nov) and the London Coliseum (7-18 Jan). Arguably one of the most popular ballets created, Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried’s love for the Swan Queen, Odette, and their battle against the evil magician, Rothbart. This popular production brings the romance and high drama of the Russian ballet tradition alive, and features Tchaikovsky’s score played by the Orchestra of English National Ballet. Deane’s version of Swan Lake premiered at the London Coliseum in 2000 and has since been seen by over 550,000 people across the UK. Coppélia Wednesday 15 October 2014 - Saturday 8 November 2014 UK Tour “The effervescent Delibes score is an unalloyed pleasure, the story is light-hearted, family friendly, and the choreography is filled with joy.”The Times After a critically acclaimed run at the London Coliseum in July this year, Coppélia begins a UK tour to Southampton (15-18 Oct), Oxford (28 Oct-1 Nov) and Bristol (4-8 Nov). Coppélia is the comic tale of an eccentric toymaker and his mechanical doll. Dr Coppélius, the toymaker, creates a lifelike Coppélia doll and wishes to bring her to life. English National Ballet's production is choreographed by Ronald Hynd. Léo Delibes' score is played by the Orchestra of English National Ballet. Nutcracker Thursday 11 December 2014 - Sunday 4 January 2015 London Coliseum “The sheer beauty of the production, the dazzling artistry of the performers and the glorious music of Tchaikovsky make this the perfect start to the festive season” The Observer Nutcracker returns to the London Coliseum this Christmas. First performed in 2010 to celebrate English National Ballet’s 60thanniversary, Wayne Eagling’s version has since been seen by over 300,000 people. Set in a world of Edwardian elegance Nutcracker takes audiences on a journey with Clara, her Nutcracker doll and the magician Drosselmeyer, set to Tchaikovsky’s soaring score performed by the Orchestra of English National Ballet. This is English National Ballet’s 11th production of Nutcracker since it performed its first full length production in 1950, its founding year. Since then, English National Ballet has established the tradition of performing Nutcracker at Christmas every year. Modern Masters: Icons of 20th Century Choreography Tuesday 10 - Sunday 15 March 2015 Sadler’s Wells English National Ballet presents Modern Masters, a new triple bill, at Sadler’s Wells. The evening’s programme includes works from two choreographers new to the Company’s repotoire, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated and Spring and Fall by John Neumeier. The triple bill also includes Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, first performed in Ecstasy and Death in 2013. Jiří Kylián’s Petit Mort features six men, six women and six fencing foils, symbolising energy, silence and sexuality. Created for the Salzburg Festival in 1991, it is performed to the movements of two Mozart Piano Concerti, the A Major and the C Major. Originally created for the Hamburg Ballet, Neumeier’s Spring and Fall is not in the repertoire of any other UK company. Set to Dvořák's Serenade for Strings in E Major, it features two couples and corps de ballet. A regular Guest Artist with Hamburg Ballet, Lead Principal Alina Cojocaru said of performing the work in Hamburg this Summer; “to dance to Dvořák's music in such a wonderful creation by Neumeier, gives me such a sense of meaning and hidden challenges. Spring and Fall is a dream come true.’’ William Forsythe created In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated at the invitation of Rudolf Nureyev when he was Director of the Paris Opera Ballet. Set against a bare stage it is performed by nine dancers to an electronic score by Dutch composer Thom Willems, culminating in a display of technical brilliance. On sale Monday 10 November 2014 Emerging Dancer Monday 23 March 2015 Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre Now in its sixth year, English National Ballet’s annual event for up-and-coming dancers, Emerging Dancer will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. The six emerging dancers perform in front of a panel of eminent judges. The Emerging Dancer Award winner is announced at the end of the evening together with the recipient of the People’s Choice Award, which is voted for by members of the public. Emerging Dancer is generously supported by Talbot Hughes McKillop, the restructuring experts. My First Ballet: Swan Lake Thursday 2 - Sunday 12 April 2015 The Peacock Theatre, London Saturday 18 April - Saturday 23 May 2015 UK Tour 2015 sees the My First Ballet series enter its fourth year with My First Ballet: Swan Lake. A joint venture between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School, the series aims to make ballet accessible to an audience as young as three. My First Ballet: Swan Lake opens at the Peacock Theatre in London’s West End on Thursday 2 April, followed by a 6 week UK tour, including two new venues Lighthouse, Poole and Curve Theatre, Leicester. Choreographed by George Williamson, English National Ballet’s Associate Artist, My First Ballet: Swan Lake uses choreography based on the original concept by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov currently being performed in the Company’s repertoire. Williamson will reduce the ballet to an hour and adapt the story for children. Choreographics Thursday 18 - Sunday 20 June 2015 Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells English National Ballet’s platform for emerging dance makers, Choreographics, will take place in the Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells this season. Offering dancers the chance to discover a choreographic language and develop their skills as dance makers as well as performers, they will collaborate with English National Ballet’s Music Director, Gavin Sutherland, to create a new score and receive mentoring from award-winning choreographer Russell Maliphant and dancer, choreographer and teacher, Kelly Nicholls. Last year saw five works premiere including James Streeter’s In Living Memory, which went on to be performed at Latitude Festival and Stina Quagebeur’s Vera which was selected by The Breaking Glass Project and performed in New York in August. On sale Monday 10 November 2014 For further information, interview requests and images please contact Robert James, PR Manager at robert.james@ballet.org.uk or call 020 7590 2933. For further information about English National Ballet and to book tickets visit www.ballet.org.uk. Please note performance details are subject to change. Notes to Editors Swan Lake at the London Coliseum Principal Casting in detail (in the order of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried) Casting is subject to change. Please see www.ballet.org.uk for more details. London Coliseum Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January 2015 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Wednesday 7 January (press night) - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Thursday 8 January (mat) – TBA and Junor Souza Thursday 8 January (eve) – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Friday 9 January - Fernanda Oliveira and Dmitri Gruzdyev Saturday 10 January (mat) - Erina Takahashi and TBA Saturday 10 January (eve) - Laurretta Sumerscales & 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 & Alejandro Virelles Thursday 15 January (eve) - Erina Takahashi and TBA Friday 16 January - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Saturday 17 January (mat) - Fernanda Oliveira and Dmitri Gruzdyev Saturday 17 January (eve) – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Sunday 18 January (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas LISTINGS INFORMATION FOR THE 2014/2015 SEASON Dance for Parkinson’s Class Programmes 15 Sept - 20 Oct 2014: Oxford Summer Term 20 Sept - 13 Dec 2014: London Autumn Term 25 Sept - 18 Dec 2014: Liverpool Autumn Term 15 Oct 2014: Ipswich Taster Class and Theatre Visit 25 Oct 2014: Cardiff Taster Class and Theatre Visit 10 Nov 2014 - 16 Feb 2015: Oxford Autumn/Winter Term For more information please see www.ballet.org.uk/learning/dance-parkinsons Music@Malling HK Gruber - Frankenstein!! Revelation St.Mary's, Ashford, Kent 23 - 25 Sept 2015 Box Office: 01732 876166 or www.musicatmalling.com Tickets: £5 Swan Lake Palace Theatre, Manchester 8 - 11 Oct 2014 Box Office: 0844 871 3019 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Tickets: £5 - £41 Coppélia The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 15 - 18 Oct 2014 Box Office: 023 8071 1811 or www.ballet.org.uk/coppelia Tickets: £10.75 - £48.50 Coppélia New Theatre, Oxford 28 Oct - 1 Nov 2014 Box Office: 0844 871 3020 or www.ballet.org.uk/coppelia Tickets: £10 - £41 Coppélia The Bristol Hippodrome 4 - 8 Nov 2014 Box Office: 0844 871 3012 or www.ballet.org.uk/coppelia Tickets: £10 - £46 Swan Lake Milton Keynes Theatre 11 - 15 Nov 2014 Box Office: 0844 871 7652 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Tickets: £10 - £46 Swan Lake Liverpool Empire 18 - 22 Nov 2014 Box Office: 0844 871 3017 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Tickets: £5 - £41 Nutcracker London Coliseum 11 Dec 2014 - 4 Jan 2015 Box Office: 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker Tickets: £14 - £79 Swan Lake London Coliseum 7 - 18 Jan 2015 Box Office: 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Tickets: £14 - £79 Modern Masters: Icons of 20th Century Choreography Sadler’s Wells, London 10 - 15 Mar 2015 Box Office: 0844 412 4300 or www.ballet.org.uk/modernmasters Tickets: £12 - £45 Emerging Dancer Queen Elizabeth Hall 23 Mar 2015 Box Office: 0844 875 0073 or www.ballet.org.uk/emergingdancer Tickets: TBA My First Ballet: Swan Lake Peacock Theatre, London 2 - 12 Apr 2015 Box Office: 0844 412 4322 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £10 - £25 My First Ballet: Swan Lake Lighthouse, Poole 18 & 19 Apr 2015 Box Office: 0844 406 8666 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £8 - £25 My First Ballet: Swan Lake New Victoria Theatre, Woking 25 & 26 Apr 2015 Box Office: 0844 871 7645 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £10 - £25 My First Ballet: Swan Lake Palace Theatre, Manchester 2 & 3 May 2015 Box Office: 0844 871 3019 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £10 - £25 My First Ballet: Swan Lake Bristol Hippodrome 9 & 10 May 2015 Box Office: 0844 871 3012 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £10 - £25 My First Ballet: Swan Lake Wimbledon Theatre, London 15 & 16 May 2015 Box Office: 0844 871 7646 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £10 - £25 My First Ballet: Swan Lake Curve Theatre, Leicester 22 & 23 May 2015 Box Office: 0116 242 3595 or www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/swanlake Tickets: £8 - £25 Choreographics Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells 18 - 20 June 2015 Box Office: 0844 412 4300 or www.ballet.org.uk/choreographics Tickets: TBA About English National Ballet English National Ballet is a world-class ballet company, renowned for creative excellence, innovative collaborations and engaging ways of honouring and enhancing traditional and contemporary ballet. English National Ballet aims to bring ballet to the widest possible audience, touring across the UK and internationally. In 2013/2014 English National Ballet gave over 190 performances to just under 250,000 people. 2014 saw English National Ballet commission and present the critically acclaimed productions Lest We Forget at the Barbican, Le Corsaire at the London Coliseum and on tour, and Romeo & Juliet in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall. Under the Artistic Directorship of Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet has increased the amount of new works it has commissioned; working on new productions with contemporary choreographers including Russell Maliphant and Akram Khan performed alongside traditional productions including Derek Deane’s critically acclaimed Swan Lake and Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker. English National Ballet has brought some of the greatest dancers from around the world to a UK audience, as well as developing new talent within the Company through events including the annual Emerging Dancer competition and Choreographics, giving dancers the opportunity to develop their craft as performers as well as dance makers. English National Ballet is committed to making ballet accessible to all, offering tickets from as little as £14 in London and £5 on tour. TheMy First Ballet… series is a joint venture with the English National Ballet School, offers children the opportunity to see a ballet production created specifically for their age group. Through its Engagement department, English National Ballet works with local communities of all ages involving them with ballet through workshops, talks and classes that take place around the country. In 2014 it’s hugely successful Dance for Parkinson’s programme that works with people with Parkinson’s, their carers and families, extended its regional output creating two new hubs in Ipswich and Cardiff. Talbot Hughes McKillop (THM) Talbot Hughes McKillop (THM) provides experienced leadership to corporates, creditors and shareholders in distressed and other event-driven special situations. The firm provides hands-on, practical support, typically using small, partner led teams to deal with both the financial and operational aspects of a restructuring situation. The role may involve partners from THM taking executive roles (for example as Chief Restructuring Officer) and/or other Board of Director appointments. Founded in 2001, THM has handled some of the highest profile pan- European restructuring projects. THM believes that the arts have a critical role to play in enriching the life of communities throughout the country, as well as in fostering emerging young talent. Business has a clear responsibility to engage constructively with arts organizations in providing finance and other forms of help and support. This is even more critical at a time when the state has had to reduce its financial support for the arts, creating a funding gap that needs to be bridged.

Hello DropOfSun and welcome to the Forum. Anjuli has started the ball rolling with some practical advice and I am sure other members will chip in. Please let us know how you are getting on.

I was privileged to see the final 2 performances of Dracula yesterday. What can I say ... Northern Ballet are absolutely on fire!!! I have grown over the years to love this production, the more I've seen it the more I have seen in it. Act 2 is stronger than Act 1 but there is much to enjoy in both. The duet between Dracula and Mina is stunning in its simplicity and depth of emotion. You wouldn't think you could normally feel almost sorry for the blood-sucking count but this duet brings out all Dracula's yearning for Mina and her fascination and feelings for him. Yesterday afternoon Martha Leebolt and Toby Batley moved me to tears and last night Dreda Blow and Javier Torres took my breath away. The quality of the performances from all the dancers I have seen over the last week or so more than make up for any minor qualms about the production. I'm sorry this short run has finished. Thank you Northern Ballet for such a splendid start to the Autumn season.

EEEEEEEKKKKKK!!! Don't envy you snakes and centipedes!

Hello Bluestar and welcome to the Forum! There is a facility on the RAD website to search for a teacher: http://www.rad.org.uk/learn-to-dance/find-an-rad-teacher That may be a good place to start. I am sure other members will be able to offer advice too. Please let us know how you get on.

Northern Ballet opened their Autumn Season with their annual gig at the West Yorkshire Playhouse last Friday. I’ve now seen four performances of Dracula with two to go tomorrow. I’ve been watching and enjoying Northern Ballet since 1985 but I must say that in the last couple of years they seem to have an extra confidence and sparkle that, for me, has made all their performances unmissable. I think of David Nixon’s production as being cerebral and he focuses on the control that Dracula has over his victims and the relationships between them. He uses the device of Jonathan Harker looking at a photograph of Mina and dreaming about her to give Dracula the impetus to find and want her. The ballet encompasses all the salient points of the novel and the ending is ambivalent in terms of Mina. Was she still a vampire or not… David made this production on his previous company Ballet Met, which has fewer dancers than Northern Ballet, and it has almost a chamber ballet feel about it. It works wonderfully well in the more intimate setting of WYP. The only work for a corps is in the engagement party for Lucy and Arthur Holmwood. I love the way it comes across very strongly that Seward loses Lucy twice, first when she rejects him in favour of Holmwood and then again with her death. This was beautifully portrayed by all three dancers we saw in the role. Again the interplay between the dancers shows the attraction/repulsion of Harker towards the Brides of Dracula and the same emotions between Mina and Dracula. On Friday evening the cast we were privileged to see, apart from one exception, had danced the roles in the last run and all have grown in stature as artists since 2009. Toby Batley gave the performance of his life as Dracula – he was strong and distant and controlling but attracted to Mina, so much so that you could see his mental anguish when he was deciding whether to make her a vampire or not (you have to drink a vampire’s blood to become a vampire – just having your blood drunk does not make you one). Pippa Moore was a tour de force as flirtatious Lucy who becomes lascivious and blood-seeking as she is transformed. Martha Leebolt inhabited the role of Mina and was utterly sublime. Ashley Dixon gave a beautifully judged performance as Harker. Hiro Takahashi as Holmwood, Kenny Tindall as Seward and Darren Goldsmith as Van Helsing all brought their inimitable stage presence to the roles. Kevin Peoung gave a remarkable performance in his debut as Renfield. Saturday afternoon saw Giuliano Contadini making his debut as the Count, with the always lovely Hannah Bateman as his Mina, Jeremy Curnier giving an intelligent reading of Harker and Antoinette Brooks Daw abandoned as Lucy. Giuliano was a Dracula full of Latin passion! Saturday evening saw Javier Torres as Dracula. He was all supressed passion and strength. His anguish as he could not prevent himself from loving the sublime Dreda Blow as Mina was really quite heartbreaking. Joseph Taylor had an innocence about him that made his reaction to Dracula all the more shocking. Matthew Broadbent brought a lovely gravitas to the role of Van Helsing and Sebastian Loe was positively disturbing as Renfield. Antoinette again danced the role of Lucy. This cast also performed at the matinee yesterday afternoon and the performance was even more scintillating as the dancers in a short time have grown more into their characters. The duet between Javier and Dreda literally took my breath away it was so beautiful. One of the joys of being able to see several performances is seeing different casts and how all their different interpretations come across. The three casts were very different but all had equally valid interpretations. Roll on tomorrow! I know other Forum members have seen performances, I would love to hear what you thought ...

Hello WGF and welcome to the Forum! I thought it was a great feature about a remarkable lady. I do hope we'll hear more from you!

Northern Ballet and Cheshire Life have published a competition to win 2 tickets to see Cinderella at the Palace Theatre in Manchester in November. The prize also includes a stay at the Palace Hotel. The details are here.

MOZILLA. For some years I had used both Firefox and Thunderbird. I had to change my laptop earlier this year and, of course, I had to buy one with Windows 8. When I dowloaded the Mozilla software, I also downloaded a load of automatic advertising sites that were driving me round the bend till I realised what the cause was and managed to get rid of them. All of a sudden, Windows 8 did not seem so bad! Then Thunderbird kept on crashing. Eventually I switched to another mail application (not 100% necessary but I don't like how the mail is presented on the Virgin website). A couple of days ago I thought that Thunderbird may have settled down again so I reloaded it. What a mistake! More advertising gunk downloaded that, this time, I couldn't get rid of. So Mozilla is gone forever from my laptop!!!

Sir Donald Sinden, another great of British theatre, film and television has passed away at the age of 90. Here's a report from The Telegraph. Condolences to his family and friends.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29107894 https://www.facebook.com/OliverHellowellPhotographer?fref=ts