Press Release: Snow Queen for Chelmsford Ballet Company in 2018

[Jan McNulty]

The Chelmsford Ballet Company takes on the classic Snow Queen


 

The Chelmsford Ballet Company, calling the city its home for almost seventy years, will be performing its 2018 production, Snow Queen, from 21 – 24 March 2018 at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. 


Tickets for Snow Queen are now on sale, with sparkle, glitter, stunning costumes and intricate staging adding to the production, and glorious music by Glazunov. This is a production for all who love a spectacle and is also the perfect introduction to the art form for new ballet audiences. 


Based on Hans Christian Anderson’s classic fairytale, telling the age-old story of the fight between good and evil, audiences will be swept along a magical journey with Gerda and Kay. The company will return to its classical roots with this tale; Gerda seeks to break the cruel spell cast by the Snow Queen, embarking on adventure through enchanted forests, meeting fantastical animals, and seeking to triumph over evil. 

 

As an amateur company with professional standards, The Chelmsford Ballet Company has a reputation for staging impressive productions with fantastic artistry. From the choreography to the sets to the costumes, the company prides itself on the regard with which it is held by Chelmsford audiences, and those further afield too. The company continues to celebrate artistic success under the leadership of Artistic Director Annette Potter, nurturing the company’s dancers from company classes to workshops, through to rehearsals and the company’s annual production.

 

Following a Snow Queen workshop and auditions for Snow Queen parts for the company’s dancers, this classic production is set to delight audiences both young and old. The amateur company prides itself on its professional standards, demonstrating a huge array of talent through its dancers excelling themselves within each production staged at Chelmsford’s Civic Theatre.

To purchase tickets, contact the box office on 01245 606505 or visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres/  

—Ends—

 

About The Chelmsford Ballet Company

 

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

 

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

 

The Ballet Company is a way for skilled dancers from across the area to perform together and to showcase their considerable talents to appreciative and receptive audiences. Theatre-goers are constantly ‘thrilled’ with the productions, which always maintain the high standards set by Joan Weston. It has become a well-loved cornerstone of Chelmsford’s cultural calendar.

The Chelmsford Ballet Company is “an amateur Company which sets professional standards for all its work, involving professionals in its productions, courses and other teaching and workshop opportunities”. The standards are such that both junior (aged 10 and Standard/Grade 2 or above) and senior (over 14) dancers must audition to become members and again each year to perform in any production. These high standards are maintained through the monthly Company classes, where the dancers are able to meet and take a class with experienced and distinguished teachers. In the 1960's a Scholarship Fund was created to help young dancers moving to professional training.


www.thechelmsfordballetcompany.co.uk
 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Professional ballet dancer joins The Chelmsford Ballet Company for Snow Queen

 

The Chelmsford Ballet Company takes on the classic Snow Queen this year, which will see professional ballet dancer James Parratt join the much-loved company cast as Kay. 

 

James Parratt trained at Penny Taylor School of Dance and went on to train at Central School of Ballet, where he graduated with a BA Hons in Professional Dance and Performance. Whilst at Central James competed in the Genée International Ballet Competition, where he was a Finalist. During his third year of training James was a part of Ballet Central, and performed with Kidd Pivot in Polaris, choreographed by Crystal Pite at Sadler’s Wells. 

 

After graduating in 2016, James moved to Dresden, Germany where he was a Guest Apprentice with Semperoper Ballet, and he performed in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon. He then danced with New English Ballet Theatre where he performed pieces by Jenna Lee, Daniela Cardim and Valentino Zucchetti at Sadler’s Wells and other UK theatres. 

 

Based on Hans Christian Anderson’s classic fairytale, Snow Queen tells the age-old story of the fight between good and evil. Audiences will be swept along a magical journey with Gerda and Kay, danced by Georgia Olley and Parratt respectively. The Chelmsford Ballet Company will return to its classical roots with this tale; Gerda seeks to break the cruel spell cast by the Snow Queen, embarking on adventure through enchanted forests, meeting fantastical animals, and seeking to triumph over evil.

 

The Chelmsford Ballet Company will perform Snow Queen from 21 – 24 March 2018 at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. Tickets are now on sale; to purchase tickets, contact the box office on 01245 606505 or visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres/

 

 
About The Chelmsford Ballet Company
 
In 1947, Joan Weston created the Broomfield YMCA Ballet Company in order to give the more senior students at her existing dance school the opportunity to learn and perform to the public. It was after their 1949 performance of ‘Coppélia’ at the Shire Hall that the then Mayor of Chelmsford suggested the name ‘The Chelmsford Ballet Company’, and with a small committee the Company was born.
 
Since 1949, the Ballet Company has staged a full-scale production every year. Initially a part of the Arts Festival, and then the Cathedral Fringe Festival, they occur today as an annual event in their own right. Today the Company is led by Artistic Director Annette Potter, who is a former dancing member. Annette danced many leading roles with the company before moving on to teaching and choreography.
 
The Ballet Company is a way for skilled dancers from across the area to perform together and to showcase their considerable talents to appreciative and receptive audiences. Theatre-goers are constantly ‘thrilled’ with the productions, which always maintain the high standards set by Joan Weston. It has become a well-loved cornerstone of Chelmsford’s cultural calendar.
 
The Chelmsford Ballet Company is “an amateur Company which sets professional standards for all its work, involving professionals in its productions, courses and other teaching and workshop opportunities”. The standards are such that both junior (aged 10 and Standard/Grade 2 or above) and senior (over 14) dancers must audition to become members and again each year to perform in any production. These high standards are maintained through the monthly Company classes, where the dancers are able to meet and take a class with experienced and distinguished teachers. In the 1960's a Scholarship Fund was created to help young dancers moving to professional training.

 

www.thechelmsfordballetcompany.co.uk

Edited January 31, 2018 by Jan McNulty
Corrected version of PR released