Press Release: BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET IS LOOKING FOR BIRMINGHAM BASED BOYS AND GIRLS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CHILDREN’S CHORUS FOR BRB’S BRAND-NEW BALLET LUNA

[Jan McNulty]

 

PRESS RELEASE

DATE: 27 February 2024

 

• BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET IS LOOKING FOR BIRMINGHAM BASED BOYS AND GIRLS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CHILDREN’S CHORUS FOR BRB’S BRAND-NEW BALLET LUNA

 

• CHOSEN PARTICIPANTS WILL PERFORM IN THE PRODUCTION DURING ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME THIS OCTOBER

• LUNA IS THE THIRD PART OF CARLOS ACOSTA’S BIRMINGHAM TRILOGY AND IS INSPIRED BY WOMEN OF THE CITY

 

The city’s acclaimed Birmingham Royal Ballet is looking for 30 Birmingham-based local boys and girls aged 8-10 to be part of Luna an exciting new ballet which will receive its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome this October.

 

The company invite children with no formal training who enjoy singing and dancing to join them for one of a series of FREE informal one-hour workshops at BRB, located in Birmingham city centre, on Sunday 24 March.

The children’s chorus will act much like a Greek Chorus, tying together the different sections of the ballet, and working particularly closely with Dutch choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma and British choreographer Arielle Smith. Part of their role is to sing I am I Say and There is Silence, by UK composer Kate Whitley, which will be taught by members of Ex Cathedra’s Education and Participation team.

 

Luna is inspired by the pioneering and socially enterprising women of Birmingham who have contributed to the shape of the city that BRB call home and the final part of Carlos Acosta’s Birmingham Trilogy that includes City of a Thousand Trades and Black Sabbath - The Ballet. 

 

Luna features a female-led international creative team including choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma (Netherlands); Seeta Patel (UK); Arielle Smith (UK); Thais Suárez (Cuba) and Music composed by Kate Whitley (UK). Costume Design by Imaan Ashraf, Projection Design by Hayley Egan and Lighting Design by Emma Jones. 

 

Rebecca Brookes Acting Head of LEAP, BRB’s Learning, Engagement, Access & Participation department commented “The Chorus will provide a unique opportunity for children to work with Luna’s creatives and perform on stage alongside our acclaimed professional dancers whilst representing the young and diverse community of this great City.”

 

The workshops are open to children aged 8-11 years and applications are welcome from those with impaired mobility or in a wheelchair.

 

Taking part in the Chorus will require a significant commitment of time to the project, with 15 rehearsals and four public performances at Birmingham Hippodrome. 

 

For further information on how to apply, plus the current draft rehearsal schedule, please go to www.brb.org.uk/LunaChorus

 

Closing date for applications is 19 March; there are 30 places for each workshop and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

Luna will receive its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome from 3-5 October before its London premiere at Sadler’s Wells from 23-24 October. For booking details please go to www.brb.org.uk

 

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Based at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is the United Kingdom’s leading touring ballet company performing a range of traditional, classical and heritage ballets as well as ground-breaking new works with the aim of encouraging choreographers of the future. The Company’s Director since January 2020 is the internationally renowned Carlos Acosta.

Birmingham Royal Ballet standardly performs at Birmingham Hippodrome for approximately ten weeks of the year and the remainder of the year tours throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. On average, the Company performs 100 shows a year nationally and internationally.

 

[LinMM]

What an opportunity!!