Jan McNulty Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 PRESS RELEASE 11 AUGUST 2023 BALLETBOYZ: ENGLAND ON FIRE BALLETBOYZ COLLABORATE WITH OVER FORTY ARTISTS IN A ONE-OF-A-KIND MULTIDISCIPLINARY PRODUCTION, THE COMPANY’S MOST AMBITIOUS, AUDACIOUS AND POLITICAL CREATION TO DATE COLLABORATORS FOR ENGLAND ON FIRE INCLUDE CHOREOGRAPHERS RUSSELL MALIPHANT, HOLLY BLAKEY AND VIDYA PATEL AND COMPOSERS GWILYM GOLD, KEATON HENSON AND CASSIE KINOSHI AMONGST OTHER INSPIRED BY THE GROUNDBREAKING BOOK OF THE SAME NAME BY STEPHEN ELLCOCK AND MAT OSMAN ENGLAND ON FIRE HAS A STRICTLY LIMITED RUN AT SADLER’S WELLS WEDNESDAY 8-11 NOVEMBER 2023 Widely acclaimed dance pioneers, BalletBoyz return to the stage this winter with England on Fire at Sadler’s Wells for four nights only from Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 November 2023, with a Press Night on 8 November 2023. Inspired by the groundbreaking artbook of the same name by Stephen Ellcock and Mat Osman, England on Fire will see over 40 collaborators across multiple disciplines including choreographers, composers, dancers and performers come together to create a unique kaleidoscope of mesmerising performance. BalletBoyz will bring together leading artists in their field for a performance featuring arresting visuals accompanied by live music from folk to punk and everything in-between and supported by a 3D soundscape for a truly immersive theatrical experience, allowing a sound-world to be choreographed to augment the movement on stage. England on Fire will be an evocative journey into contemporary life that defies all expectation, seen through the eyes of an innocent observer. The production recounts a search for meaning amidst the challenges of life, modern, and ancient. Audiences are invited to get lost in elusive explorations of trust and betrayal, friendship and love, identity and loneliness, honour and redemption. Through an eclectic array of voices curated by Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt, England on Fire is a genre-defying spectacle of political and artistic intrigue, with artists both new and returning to collaborating with BalletBoyz. England on Fire will bring together some of dance’s leading choreographers for this one-off event including Edd Arnold, Lucy Bennett, Holly Blakey, Ola Ince, Shelley Maxwell, Russell Maliphant, Vidya Patel and Thick & Tight. Acclaimed composers contributing to England On Fire include Gwilym Gold, Charlotte Harding, Keaton Henson, Cassie Kinoshi, Mukul and Joe Zeitlin. Performers Gag Salon and Kami Thompson will take to the stage alongside a company of exceptional dancers. The BalletBoyz company for England on Fire will include dancers Edd Arnold, Harry Alexander, Tania Dimbelolo, Benji Knapper, Roseanna Lindsey, Luigi Nardone, Folu Odimayo, Sophie Ormiston, Oxana Panchenko, Artemis Stamouli, Meghan Stevens, Kai Tomioka, and Holly Vallis. BalletBoyz founders, Michael Nunn and William Trevitt said; “With England on Fire, we’re doing what we love best: embracing the chaos of an eclectic group of collaborators without fear or inhibition. “In pursuit of our lifelong ambition to redefine what performance can do, we have provided a stimulus to artists to explore the experience of the marginalised, and it has been exciting to see the diverse range of interpretations that have been created. “We realised that we no longer wanted to second-guess every element of making new productions for fear of getting it wrong; instead, we are following our instincts and presenting an extraordinary cultural event that exemplifies a confident England, on fire with talent, ambition, potential and rebellion. (But no cash)." Twitter: @BalletBoyz | Facebook: /BalletBoyz | Instagram: @BalletBoyz Listings England on Fire Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 November 2023 Sadler’s Wells Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN Sadlerswells.com 020 7863 8000 (Monday to Saturday, 12 noon – 6pm) Notes to Editors Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, BalletBoyz founders, are hailed as pioneers for making dance accessible and reaching wide audiences through their celebrated stage and television work. After leaving The Royal Ballet, they came to prominence through extensive National and International Touring, as well as through their popular television documentaries. Founded in 2000, BalletBoyz established itself as one of the most original and innovative forces in modern dance: revolutionising programming formats, commissioning work and collaborating with cutting-edge talents. The company’s chief aim is to challenge, excite and enlighten audiences through its work, bringing together elements from diverse realms of the arts including composers, artists, designers and filmmakers. The company has won numerous awards and nominations including an Olivier Award, National Dance Awards, an International Emmy and The Golden Prague and Rose d’Or Awards twice. In 2013 BalletBoyz won Best Independent Company in the National Dance Awards, Best Modern Choreography for Russell Maliphant’s Fallen, while Michael Hulls won the 2014 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his work with BalletBoyz. In 2016, the company’s first feature film was broadcast: Young Men won The Golden Prague Arts Award (2017) and the Rose d'Or in the Arts Category, rewarding originality, quality and creativity. Alongside their stage and screen work, the company is engaged in many projects which offer dance opportunities to those who find themselves marginalised by traditional dance offerings. Classes, workshops and residencies are delivered from the BalletBoyz studios, working with a diverse range of participants across a variety of dance disciplines. BalletBoyz continue to inspire, educate and showcase dance in the best possible ways, bringing our creations to as wide an audience as possible 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 A lot of descriptive words setting very high expectations. Sounds intriguing so I’m willing to take a punt and go along. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 18, 2023 Author Share Posted October 18, 2023 More detail: PRESS RELEASE 18 OCTOBER 2023 NEW IMAGERY RELEASED AHEAD OF EPIC NEW COLLABORATION BALLETBOYZ: ENGLAND ON FIRE BALLETBOYZ RETURN TO THE STAGE WITH THEIR MOST AMBITIOUS PRODUCTION YET, COLLABORATING WITH OVER 40 CHOREOGRAPHERS, COMPOSERS, DANCERS, ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS BRAND NEW IMAGERY BY GEORGE PIPER AND TEASER TRAILER RELEASED FOUR PERFORMANCES ONLY AT SADLER’S WELLS 8-11 NOVEMBER 231006_balletboyz_new_trailer_FINAL.mp4 Widely acclaimed dance pioneers, BalletBoyz return to the stage this winter with England on Fire at Sadler’s Wells for four nights only from Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 November 2023, with a Press Night on 8 November 2023. Inspired by the groundbreaking artbook of the same name by Stephen Ellcock and Mat Osman, England on Firewill see over 40 collaborators across multiple disciplines including choreographers, composers, dancers and performers come together to create a unique kaleidoscope of mesmerising performance. BalletBoyz will bring together leading artists in their field for a performance featuring arresting visuals accompanied by live music from folk to punk and everything in-between and supported by a 3D soundscape for a truly immersive theatrical experience, allowing a sound-world to be choreographed to augment the movement on stage. England on Fire will be an evocative journey into contemporary life that defies all expectation, seen through the eyes of an innocent observer. The production recounts a search for meaning amidst the challenges of life, modern, and ancient. Audiences are invited to get lost in elusive explorations of trust and betrayal, friendship and love, identity and loneliness, honour and redemption. Through an eclectic array of voices curated by Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt, England on Fire is a genre-defying spectacle of political and artistic intrigue, with artists both new and returning to collaborating with BalletBoyz. England on Fire will bring together some of dance’s leading choreographers for this one-off event including Edd Arnold, Lucy Bennett, Holly Blakey, Ola Ince, Shelley Maxwell, Russell Maliphant, Vidya Patel and Thick & Tight. Acclaimed composers contributing to England On Fire include Gwilym Gold, Charlotte Harding, Keaton Henson, Cassie Kinoshi, Mukul and Joe Zeitlin. Performers Gag Salon and Kami Thompson will take to the stage alongside a company of exceptional dancers. The BalletBoyz company for England on Fire will include dancers Edd Arnold, Harry Alexander, Tania Dimbelolo, Seirian Griffiths, Benji Knapper, Roseanna Lindsey, Luigi Nardone, Folu Odimayo, Sophie Ormiston, Oxana Panchenko, Artemis Stamouli, Meghan Stevens, Kai Tomioka, and Holly Vallis. BalletBoyz founders, Michael Nunn and William Trevitt said; “With England on Fire, we’re doing what we love best: embracing the chaos of an eclectic group of collaborators without fear or inhibition. “In pursuit of our lifelong ambition to redefine what performance can do, we have provided a stimulus to artists to explore the experience of the marginalised, and it has been exciting to see the diverse range of interpretations that have been created. “We realised that we no longer wanted to second-guess every element of making new productions for fear of getting it wrong; instead, we are following our instincts and presenting an extraordinary cultural event that exemplifies a confident England, on fire with talent, ambition, potential and rebellion. (But no cash)." Stephen Ellcock is an ‘image alchemist’, curator, and author of England On Fire with Mat Osman. His newest book, Underworlds, is out now with Thames & Hudson. Twitter: @BalletBoyz | Facebook: /BalletBoyz | Instagram: @BalletBoyz Listings BalletBoyz: England on Fire Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 November 2023 Sadler’s Wells Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN Sadlerswells.com 020 7863 8000 (Monday to Saturday, 12 noon – 6pm) Artist Biographies See here for artist biographies and headshots Notes to Editors Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, BalletBoyz founders, are hailed as pioneers for making dance accessible and reaching wide audiences through their celebrated stage and television work. After leaving The Royal Ballet, they came to prominence through extensive National and International Touring, as well as through their popular television documentaries. Founded in 2000, BalletBoyz established itself as one of the most original and innovative forces in modern dance: revolutionising programming formats, commissioning work and collaborating with cutting-edge talents. The company’s chief aim is to challenge, excite and enlighten audiences through its work, bringing together elements from diverse realms of the arts including composers, artists, designers and filmmakers. The company has won numerous awards and nominations including an Olivier Award, National Dance Awards, an International Emmy and The Golden Prague and Rose d’Or Awards twice. In 2013 BalletBoyz won Best Independent Company in the National Dance Awards, Best Modern Choreography for Russell Maliphant’s Fallen, while Michael Hulls won the 2014 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his work with BalletBoyz. In 2016, the company’s first feature film was broadcast: Young Men won The Golden Prague Arts Award (2017) and the Rose d'Or in the Arts Category, rewarding originality, quality and creativity. Alongside their stage and screen work, the company is engaged in many projects which offer dance opportunities to those who find themselves marginalised by traditional dance offerings. Classes, workshops and residencies are delivered from the BalletBoyz studios, working with a diverse range of participants across a variety of dance disciplines. BalletBoyz continue to inspire, educate and showcase dance in the best possible ways, bringing our creations to as wide an audience as possible. Photo Credits: George Piper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 18, 2023 Author Share Posted October 18, 2023 Sadly for me it looks as though this is a one off. I would love to see it but, of course, the dates clash with something I booked months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 I have a ticket for this. That’s a lot of descriptive words and mumbo jumbo to live up to. Almost double Dutch. It’ll be interesting to see how it translates to the stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Balletboyz used to visit the Theatre Royal Brighton, I would have seen it there but it was probably deemed too modern! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 19, 2023 Author Share Posted October 19, 2023 29 minutes ago, Beryl H said: Balletboyz used to visit the Theatre Royal Brighton, I would have seen it there but it was probably deemed too modern! It says in the press blurb that it is a one-off sadly. I’ve seen BB over the years both in Salford and Chester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Why can’t they use the Dome in Brighton though? I’m not 100 percent on this …but would have said the stage was bigger there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 The Dome does attract younger audiences too, but the BB are only appearing at SW this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted November 5, 2023 Share Posted November 5, 2023 There were plenty of tickets available for this until a few days ago. Currently shown as Sold Out on the Sadlers Wells website. Perhaps it’s just the website undergoing weekend maintenance and tickets will appear again tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 5, 2023 Share Posted November 5, 2023 I am going as a reviewer for the forum....it doesn't sound like my kind of thing at all so I will be there with an open mind and heart and let's see what happens! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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