Press Release: Northern Ballet announces Pay As You Feel Digital Season

[Jan McNulty]

 

Friday 27 March 2020
For immediate release

 

Northern Ballet announces 
Pay As You Feel Digital Season

     

 

Productions featured include: Jonathan Watkins’ 1984; Mariana Rodrigues’ Little Red Riding Hood; extended highlights from Northern Ballet’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala; andDavid Nixon OBE’s Dracula. Kenneth Tindall and Dan Lowenstein’s dance film EGO will also be released.

 

northernballet.com/pay-as-you-feel

 

 

 

Due to the impact of COVID-19, many of Northern Ballet’s upcoming performances have been cancelled or are under threat of cancellation. Whilst the Company is not performing live at this time, aselection of ballets from Northern Ballet’s repertoire plus a new original dance film will be available to watch online or on television as part of the Company’s Pay As You Feel Digital Season.

 

Over the next few weeks people will be able to tune into 1984, Little Red Riding Hood and Draculafrom the comfort of their home. The Company will also release a new dance film, Kenneth Tindall and Dan Lowenstein’s EGO plus the extended highlights of their 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala which took place at Leeds Grand Theatre at the beginning of the year.

 

Northern Ballet are asking audiences to consider making a donation as they watch content from the Pay As You Feel Digital Season to support the Company, their people and work during these unprecedented times and the significant financial hardship the Company is facing. Lost income from cancelled performances could affect Northern Ballet’s ability to pay their workforce, many of whom are freelancers, as well as their ability to present new ballets, including Merlin which is planned to première this autumn. Those who wish to support the Company can donate at northernballet.com/pay-as-you-feel. 

 

Kenneth Tindall and Dan Lowenstein’s new dance film EGO kicks off the season and will be available to watch online today, Friday 27 March, from 7pm at northernballet.com/ego. 

EGO explores parallel versions of one couple's relationship. At first appearing the perfect Hollywood romance, the couple’s alter egos tell a different story filled with raw animalistic emotion, asking ‘How much does your ego control your behaviour?’

 

First premièred in 2015 to critical acclaim, Jonathan Watkins’ award-winning 1984 will be available to watch from Friday 3 April at northernballet.com/1984. Based on George Orwell's masterpiece, the ballet follows the story of Winston Smith and his life of conformity under the watchful eye of Big Brother.

 

CBeebies will screen their special version of Mariana Rodrigues’ Little Red Riding Hood on Friday 10 April at 9.30am. Created especially for children, Little Red Riding Hood retells the classic fairytalewith a Northern Ballet twist.

 

From Friday 17 April, extended highlights from Northern Ballet’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala will be available to watch at northernballet.com. This sell-out performance featured excerpts of productions from Northern Ballet’s history and brought together dancers from The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet and Phoenix Dance Theatre alongside Northern Ballet’s dancers.

 

After wowing audiences during its live to cinema performances last Halloween, David Nixon OBE’s Dracula will make its television debut as part of the BBC’s Culture in Quarantine Season. Seducing countless generations, Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire lives on in this extraordinary ballet which will be available to watch in the coming weeks on BBC Four and iPlayer.

 

To find out more about Northern Ballet’s Pay As You Feel Digital Season, please visit northernballet.com/pay-as-you-feel. 

 

-ENDS-

 

Notes to Editors

 

Pay As You Feel Digital Season

northernballet.com/pay-as-you-feel

 

Kenneth Tindall and Dan Lowenstein’s EGO 
Available from Friday 27 March at 7pm
northernballet.com/ego

 

Jonathan Watkins’ 1984

Available from Friday 3 April

northernballet.com/1984

 

Mariana Rodrigues’ Little Red Riding Hood 
Friday 10 April, 9.30am
CBeebies

 

50th Anniversary Celebration Gala - Extended Highlights 
Available from Friday 17 April
northernballet.com

 

David Nixon OBE’s Dracula 

Part of the BBC’s Culture in Quarantine Season
Available in the coming weeks
BBC Four / iPlayer

 

About Northern Ballet

In 2020 Northern Ballet is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

 

Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s leading ballet companies and the widest touring ballet company in the UK. Bold and innovative in its approach, Northern Ballet is prolific at creating new full-length work with a unique blend of strong classical technique and impressive storytelling. Northern Ballet’s repertoire embraces popular culture and takes inspiration from literature, legend, opera and the classics, pushing the boundaries of what stories can be told through dance.

 

A champion for the cultural exports of the North, Leeds-based Northern Ballet is dedicated to bringing ballet to as many people and places as possible, under the leadership of Artistic Director David Nixon OBE. Northern Ballet’s Company of 43 dancers performs a combination of its full-length ballets and specially created ballets for children at more than 40 venues annually.

[Jan McNulty]

Northern Ballet has just issued a short film of part of the end sequence and a duet from Casanova as danced at the 50th Anniversary Gala in January.  It's brought back some very happy memories.  More excerpts are due to be released.

 

I must say I found it a bit distracting that during the end sequence the film keeps flashing an NB at 50 logo on the screen.  The Casanova duet starring Giuliano Contadini and Dreda Blow is JUST SUBLIME.

 

This has been released as part of the Pay as you feel season, with an invitation to donate.

 

 

 

Link for donations:  https://northernballet.com/donate