English National Ballet: Brand Partnerships by English National Ballet

Brand Partnerships

Welcome We are living through one of the most thrilling periods in English National Ballet’s 65 year history. As the Company’s Artistic Director, I want to talk about what we are doing right now, bringing the powerful, emotional, provocative and the sometimes even life-changing language of dance to more people than ever before. We are a touring company because it allows us to reach more people; because dance is for everyone. Dance is a language anyone, of any background can understand – and it is a language that deserves to be protected and shared. I am as committed as ever to changing perceptions of ballet and what ballet can be – and already we are seeing the rewards. Last year, we won Outstanding Company at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards and we all shared in choreographer Akram Khan’s joy when his original work Dust, from our programme Lest We Forget, won Best Modern Choreography. We love performing on the stage around the country but it is also vital for us to take ballet off the stage for our audience. That is why our dancers go to schools, pop ups, special events and festivals. It was a big moment for us when we performed at Glastonbury last year – the first ever dance company to perform on the famous Pyramid Stage. That day, 30,000 people saw Dust. 30,000 people discovering the raw emotional power and drama of ballet in one place.

I was also so moved by the response to our National Tour and sell-out Winter Season at the London Coliseum where we performed the Nutcracker and Swan Lake. I was reminded that ballet, at its best, is timeless. Looking to our future, we are all full of energy and creative vigour as we begin a new partnership with Sadler’s Wells Theatre, as their First Associate Company. This will mean we can create and commission more new work, connect with new audiences and continue to explore the possibilities of the art form. On the world stage, we travel as far and wide as Asia, South America and Europe. These experiences are both challenging and exciting for me and our dancers, who have the opportunity to develop their artistic talents. We are going from strength to strength. Now is a truly great time to partner with us.

Tamara Rojo Artistic Director

CASE STUDY

Tamara Rojo, Backes & Strauss’ Brand Ambassador, 2014. Photo: © Johan Persson

“Tamara Rojo has taken English National Ballet by the throat and the company has become magnetic.” Evening Standard

Why partner with us? A partnership with us could unlock a number of benefits for your clients. We have years of experience managing partnerships for national and global brands across a variety of sectors, such as Sky Arts, Chanel, XL Catlin, Simmons & Simmons and Lexus. Brand alignment • • •

Join our mission to bring ballet to the widest possible audience Share our values of excellence, creativity, collaboration and innovation Support our vision to revitalise the art form and keep it alive for future generations

Association and access to a world-class company • • • •

We are one of the UK’s most credible, established and well-loved cultural brands We won Outstanding Company at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards ‘14 We won the Dance Award for Lest We Forget at the Southbank Sky Arts Awards ‘15 We have 67 dancers from 26 countries and 47 members of the orchestra

Innovative content collaboration • • •

We are unique in offering access to our talent – our dancers and musicians We collaborate on content to give you more reasons to engage your customers We will work with you to deliver exclusive cultural events for your clients

Raise your profile amongst a targeted and loyal cultural audience • •

High profile networking opportunities with cultural opinion formers at our events Large-scale reach across the cultural sector (outdoor, print, online, in-theatre) • 243,190 tickets sold across 190 performances and events • 30,000 watched us perform on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival • 893,000 visits to our website (primarily UK, USA, Japan, Spain and Germany) • 133,629 subscribes to our email database • 428,290 YouTube views, 53,923 Facebook likes and 23,000 Twitter followers

Entertain clients and engage colleagues • • • •

Complimentary and discounted top-priced tickets Opportunities to mingle with our artistic team, dancers and musicians Pre-performance backstage tours Live events – in-theatre or at a venue of your choice

CASE STUDY

Winter Classics We execute the classics with flawless precision and each winter we return to the renowned London Coliseum for our Winter Classics Season, with an audience of over 100,000. By becoming our Winter Classics Season Supporter, your client will be able to share in its success and reach our largest audience of the year, which happens to be during the competitive festive sales period.

Nutcracker

Online Advent Calendar

London Coliseum 16 Dec 2015 – 10 Jan 2016

Online 01 Dec 2015 – 24 Dec 2015

With iconic choreography and the English National Ballet Philharmonic performing Tchaikovsky’s soaring score (featuring the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Waltz of the Flowers), our Nutcracker is an exquisite Christmas treat for the whole family.

This treat for our fans is packed with exclusive content as well as ticket discounts, money-can’t-buy prizes and much more. Easily accessible from our homepage, we also direct our fans to the calendar via our social media platforms. Last year, 32,000 people visited the microsite from 94 countries.

Le Corsaire London Coliseum 13 Jan 2016 – 24 Jan 2016 Hollywood film designer Bob Ringwood (Batman, Alien 3, Star Trek Nemesis, A.I. and Troy) created new sets and costumes for this gripping period piece when we reinvented it in 2013 to rave reviews. Le Corsaire (The Pirate) follows the escapades of a dashing pirate, Conrad, who journeys across the high seas to save his beautiful harem girl, Medora. We are the only UK company to perform the complete work.

Nutcracker Christmas Gala London Coliseum 17 Dec 2015 English National Ballet and Chelsea Ballet Schools offer guests a magical afternoon of children’s Christmas entertainment throughout the London Coliseum. Our unmissable Nutcracker Christmas Gala promises to be a wonderful family day out, with the chance to support aspiring young talent along the way.

WATCH TRAILER

Dancer: Shiori Kase, 2015. Photo: © Jason Bell | Design: Charlotte Wilkinson Studio

“Dazzling” The Daily Telegraph

Summer Classics In addition to our annual Winter Classics Season, we also take a classic production to the spectacular Royal Albert Hall biannually. The venue offers a unique and a truly immersive 360° experience for the 4,500 people watching each performance.

Swan Lake in-the-round

By sponsoring the highlight of the summer calendar, your client will be able to leverage the premier iconic status of the Royal Albert Hall as well as English National Ballet. There will be fantastic opportunities to reach new audiences and increase the brand loyalty of their existing customers.

True love triumphs over evil in this powerful story set to Tchaikovsky’s memorable score played by the English National Ballet Philharmonic. With 60 swans, stunning costumes and sensational lighting, this spectacular production will captivate and enthral you.

Royal Albert Hall, London 1 Jun 2016 – 12 Jun 2016 Derek Deane’s critically acclaimed production caused a sensation at its premiere in 1997, and has since been enjoyed by over 500,000 people, capturing audiences worldwide.

Experience a magnificent choreographic kaleidoscope as the Royal Albert Hall is transformed into a magical lake for this unrivalled dance event. From the lakeside seats to the top of the Hall, this in-the-round production of the world’s favourite ballet combines sensational spectacle, compelling drama and touching intimacy.

WATCH TRAILER

Swan Lake in-the-round, 2013. Photo: © Photography by ASH

“Its sheer scale – 60 swans, 120 performers… truly stirring” The Independent

Innovation Our new partnership with Sadler’s Wells demonstrates our commitment to innovation. We will showcase our contemporary works there each spring and autumn, taking our existing audience on a journey of discovery while tapping into new audiences for contemporary culture. By partnering with us on these ground-breaking productions, your client will enable us to develop these works to their full potential – from conception to realisation.

Lest We Forget

She Said

Sadler’s Wells, London 8 Sep 2015 – 12 Sep 2015

Sadler’s Wells, London 12 Apr 2016 – 17 Apr 2016

Lest We Forget won the Dance Award at the Southbank Sky Arts Awards 2015

She Said will raise the profile of three exceptional women, Yabin Wang (China), Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (Netherlands) and Aszure Barton’s (Canada), and challenge perceptions of choreography as a male-dominated art form by pushing the boundaries through innovation and collaboration.

Dust won Best Modern Choreography at the 2014 Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards A poignant reflection on World War 1, Lest We Forget features three works by British choreographers expressing the experiences of those who fought in the war and those who stayed behind. Dust, by Akram Khan, looks at the empowerment of women in war and how women became the main workforce in the country; Russell Maliphant’s Second Breath is about the sacrifice of men in war; and No Man’s Land by Liam Scarlett explores relationships in war and the loss and longing felt by women left behind by their partners.

Giselle UK Tour Autumn 2016 Together with three adventurous and innovative cultural partners: Akram Khan, Manchester International Festival and Sadler’s Wells, we will reinterpret one of the most revered classical ballets, Giselle. The production will be integrated with an enhanced public programme, through which we aim to transform perceptions of traditional ballet and engage new audiences from diverse backgrounds.

WATCH TRAILER

Modern Masters: In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, 2015. Photo: © Photography by ASH

“Sexiness abounds in an intoxicating show from the innovators of dance” Evening Standard

“Amazing” Sunday Express

Dust, 2014. Photography by ASH

Autumn UK Tour We reach audiences of up to 50,000 people on our annual autumn tour of five cities, and have been doing this since we were established 65 years ago. We believe it is important that the whole country can experience the highest quality ballet in accessible and affordable ways. In past years, we have taken only our classical repertoire on tour. However, this year we will also take one of our contemporary masterpieces, Lest We Forget, out of London for the first time. By partnering with us on tour, your client will benefit from national coverage to reach new audiences and build relationships with the local communities.

Romeo & Juliet Bristol Hippodrome 14 Oct 2015 – 17 Oct 2015 Milton Keynes Theatre 22 Oct 2015 – 24 Oct 2015 The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 28 Oct 2015 – 31 Oct 2015 Palace Theatre, Manchester 26 Nov 2015 – 28 Nov 2015 Full of action, humour and drama, Rudolf Nureyev’s award-winning production of Romeo & Juliet was specially created for English National Ballet in 1977 to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. The Company has since performed it worldwide to much critical acclaim.

Le Corsaire Liverpool Empire 18 Nov 2015 – 21 Nov 2015 See Winter Classics section for details

Lest We Forget Milton Keynes Theatre 20 Oct 2015 Palace Theatre Manchester 24 Nov 2015 See Innovation section for details

WATCH TRAILER

Le Corsaire, 2013. Photo: © Michael Garner

“A roaring success” Financial Times

My First Ballet Together with English National Ballet School, we inspire the next generation of ballet dancers and ballet lovers by reaching up to 40,000 people each year when we tour My First Ballets. This series of productions is completely unique, offering classical ballet performances specially adapted for children (3yrs+) at an accessible price of ÂŁ8 to ÂŁ25. At just over an hour long, they include special narrators, events and learning materials suitable for a younger audience.

The Times

This series poses a fantastic opportunity for brands to engage with family audiences up and down the country.

My First Sleeping Beauty

English National Ballet School

Peacock Theatre, London Lighthouse, Poole New Victoria Theatre, Woking Palace Theatre Manchester Bristol Hippodrome New Wimbledon Theatre Curve Theatre, Leicester

English National Ballet School, official School of English National Ballet, is a specialist training centre for aspiring and highly talented young ballet dancers aged 16 to 19. The School transforms talented young dancers into world-class performers over a three year programme validated by Trinity College, London.

Apr - May 2016 An enchanted world of castles and curses, forests and fairies, created specifically for children by award-winning choreographer George Williamson, who was himself trained at English National Ballet School.

Each year, 300 young dancers audition for just thirty places. Once a young dancer joins, they have an incredibly bright future. The graduate employment rate is 90% with the dancers joining English National Ballet and other prestigious ballet companies worldwide. Currently a third of the dancers at English National Ballet are graduates of the School.

WATCH TRAILER

Illustration by Mark Ruffle

Talent Development We care about our dancers’ professional development. We employ 67 permanent dancers from 26 countries. Our dancers have a rigorous development and rehearsal programme, ensuring that they not only perform to the highest possible standards, but they also develop personal training and lifestyle skills that will guarantee a long and healthy career. By supporting our talent, brands have exclusive access to our dancers and musicians to create content that will give them more reasons to have an in-depth engagement with their customers.

Emerging Dancer Competition Location and date TBC The Emerging Dancer Competition, entering its seventh year, is an annual competition for us to recognise and nurture talent and encourage excellence within the Company.

Sponsor a Dancer Your client can choose which dancer to sponsor, from promising talent to established stars. In return we will offer you a selection of exciting hospitality opportunities for clients and employee engagement. This partnership also provides a platform for commercial opportunities, including brand licensing and PR opportunities with your chosen dancer.

WATCH TRAILER

“This competition is like no other” londondance.com

Live Events From an event at the Palace of Versailles, to a wedding in India and a corporate dinner in London at the Natural History Museum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our worldclass dancers and musicians have travelled the world delighting guests at live events for private and corporate clients.

Lunch on stage

Our studios

Complimentary use of the London Coliseum stage to host a lunch for up to 60 guests surrounded by Nutcrackerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; set

A unique opportunity to enjoy ballet and meet our dancers in the intimate setting of our own home at Markova House (London SW7)

Exclusive performance by our dancers on stage Behind-the-scenes tours exploring the inner workings of this extraordinary Edwardian theatre, the largest in London Signed programmes and sourcing of exclusive merchandise for goodie bags

We will offer bespoke repertoire of the highest quality that is tailored to your event and guests to deliver the most impact and entertainment value Our dancers can mingle with guests postperformance Access to musicians from our orchestra

Venue of your choice A unique opportunity to enjoy ballet and meet our dancers in an intimate setting

Capacity is up to 100 for a drinks reception and up to 60 for a seated dinner

We will offer tailored repertoire of the highest quality that is catered to your event and guests, to deliver the best impact and entertainment value Our dancers can mingle with guests postperformance Access to musicians from our orchestra Sprung stage with flooring provided for the performance

James Streeter and Erina Takahashi perform Dust on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, 2014. Photo: ÂŠ Patrick Balls

Additional Opportunities Please read on for further ways in which your clients could work with us. We are always open to collaborate and develop ideas to meet your clients’ objectives and exceed their expectations.

Brand Licencing We work with carefully selected partners who use our brand under license.

Annual Gala at The Dorchester Held in March, this is our biggest fundraising event of the year, raising over £200,000 for the Company. Guests are treated to a Laurent-Perrier Champagne Reception, a delicious three-course dinner, an exclusive ballet performance and the opportunity to bid on moneycan’t-buy prizes in the Live and Silent Auctions.

Corporate Members’ Barre Offers a variety of benefits perfect for developing relationships with clients and colleagues around our high-profile London seasons and national tours.

Digital Sponsor There are opportunities to partner with English National Ballet on many digital media, broadcast and technology initiatives, designed to reach and engage our growing global audience.

For further details, contact: Debbie Stevens Corporate Manager T | 020 7590 2940 E | debbie.stevens@ballet.org.uk

Front and back cover images: Artist of the Company, Jeanette Kakareka. Photo: ÂŠ Perry Curties | Design: Charlotte Wilkinson Studio