Annual Review 2014/15
2014/15 has been a wonderful year for Northern Ballet: We toured 9 different ballets and 2 mixed programmes to 43 different venues Our ballets have been seen by more than 150,000 people and grossed more than £3 million at the Box Office Our success was celebrated with a number of awards and nominations: Winners of Best Company at the Taglioni European Ballet Awards Nominated for Outstanding Company and Emerging Artist (Kevin Poeung) at the 2014 National Dance Awards Winners of Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Arts at the Action for Children’s Arts Awards Nominated for a Children’s BAFTA for the CBeebies television adaptation of Three Little Pigs (Pre-School Live Action) Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall nominated for Best Young Choreographer at the Taglioni European Ballet Awards and selected as one of Dance UK’s twenty future leaders in the Dancers’ Mentoring Scheme Winner of Outstanding Achievement in Stage Crew for Head of Stage, Sid Taylor, at the Technical Theatre Awards
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
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Contents
45th Anniversary Gala...................................... 4-5 Productions............................................................... 6-13 Short Ballets for Small People.................... 14-15 Academy of Northern Ballet........................ 16-17 Learning....................................................................... 18-19 Development........................................................... 20-21 Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre............ 22-23 Our home.................................................................... 24 Financial summary.............................................. 25 Find out more.......................................................... 26
Front cover: Kevin Poeung and Antoinette BrooksDaw in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Guy Farrow.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
45th Anniversary Year Gala
We celebrated our 45th anniversary year with a magnificent Sapphire Gala at Leeds Grand Theatre in March. Ballet stars from around the world joined the Company for an evening of impeccable ballet, and we also hosted a Gala fundraising dinner for invited guests and supporters. Gracing the stage were dancers from The Australian Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The Hamburg Ballet and Phoenix Dance Theatre. We were also thrilled that Yorkshire’s own Xander Parish, currently the first and only British dancer with The Mariinsky Ballet, joined us to perform Eric Gauthier’s comedic piece Ballet 101. The night also featured four Northern Ballet world première’s from Artistic Director David Nixon OBE, Ballet Master Daniel de Andrade, Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall and Jonathan Watkins, the latter who went on to choreograph 1984 in September 2015. The glittering Gala dinner was also a great success and in total we raised more than £40,000.
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
‘An outstanding gala celebration’ Dance Europe
This Page: Kevin Poeung in A Northern Trilogy. Left: Northern Ballet Sapphire Gala Curtain Call. Photos Emma Kauldhar.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Romeo and Juliet In February 2014 Northern Ballet gave audiences an opportunity to see a different take on a treasured classic, as we became the first company in the UK to perform Jean-Christophe Maillot’s, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo production of Romeo and Juliet. The work was given its UK première in Edinburgh before returning to our hometown for performances at Leeds Grand Theatre.
★★★★ ‘They (Northern Ballet) perform every inch of it with a sharp attention to detail, a heightened sense of style and a palpable rush of energy’ The Times
★★★★ ‘tender, passionate and dynamic’ The Scotsman ‘Visually powerful, flawlessly performed’ Yorkshire Post
★★★★ ‘Gorgeously original’ The Daily Telegraph
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Dracula One of Artistic Director David Nixon’s iconic productions rose again ‑ for ten packed performances at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in September.
‘An arresting, atmospheric ballet’ Yorkshire Post ‘The company are in fine dramatic form’ The Observer
This Page: Georgina May in Dracula. Photo Merlin Hendy. Left: Javier Torres and Matthew Koon in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo Andy Ross.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby’s star continued to shine bright as the Company treated audiences to some 1920s glamour in Woking, Nottingham, Canterbury, Bradford and London.
‘This is my first experience of Northern Ballet and I’m very impressed’ Sir Ian McKellen
Gatsby made a grand return to London, where our 2013 success was repeated with sell-out houses and plenty of stars in the audience including Sir Ian McKellen and Steven Berkoff.
‘Such creative and inventive dancers, I’ve rarely seen before in this country’ Steven Berkoff
Photo Gallery
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Peter Pan This swashbuckling family adventure sailed back into the hearts of Leeds audiences as it returned to the Grand Theatre for a bumper 14 performance Christmas season.
‘This Peter Pan is a treat for young and old’ Independent on Sunday
This Page: Ashley Dixon in Peter Pan. Photo Alastair Muir. Left: Tobias Batley as Gatsby and Martha Leebolt as Daisy in The Great Gatsby. Photo Bill Cooper.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Cinderella One of our most popular productions, David Nixon’s enchanting adaptation of this classic fairytale continued to spread its magic across the country with performances in Hull, Cardiff, Norwich, Newcastle, Belfast, Manchester and Sheffield.
‘An absolutely charming production with something for everyone’ Manchester Evening News ‘A memorable night out for the whole family’ Eastern Daily Press ‘A festive treat to mark a colourful start to the Christmas season’ Sheffield Telegraph
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Our critically acclaimed version of Shakespeare’s most bewitching play brought summer mayhem to Norwich, Milton Keynes and, a new venue for Northern Ballet, Southampton Mayflower Theatre.
‘Both impressive and innovative… there were some great comedy turns that had the audience laughing’ Southern Daily Echo ‘A magical moment not to be missed’ The Public Reviews
This Page: Martha Leebolt and Kenneth Tindall in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Opposite: Tobias Batley and Martha Leebolt in Cinderella. Photos Emma Kauldhar.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Wuthering Heights This turbulent love story is a Northern Ballet classic and 2014/15 saw it return to its Yorkshire roots with performances in Sheffield.
‘Ballet is not your thing, you say? See a performance by Leeds-based Northern Ballet and eat your words’ Sheffield Star after Wuthering Heights
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Mixed Programmes We presented sell-out mixed programmes at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House and the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in our Leeds home.
‘The dancers of Northern Ballet understood his (van Manen’s) work better than any other British company’ Dance Europe
Both cities were entertained by Hans Van Manen’s Concertante and Lar Lubovitch’s Concerto Six Twenty-Two whilst in London audiences were treated to Kenneth Tindall’s aweinspiring Luminous•Juncture, and Leeds audiences enjoyed the world première of Tindall’s The Architect.
‘The dancers looked completely empowered. Wonderful’ Debra Craine, The Times
This Page: Jessica Morgan and Isaac Lee-Baker in Concertante. Opposite: Rachael Gillespie and Jeremy Curnier in Wuthering Heights. Photos Emma Kauldhar.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Short ballets for small people
Our children’s ballets visited 25 venues and were seen by more than 27,000 people on stage On average people paid just £4.90 per ticket
Three Little Pigs
Elves & the Shoemaker
Our second ballet for children Three Little Pigs, choreographed by dancers Hannah Bateman and Victoria Sibson, continued to huff and puff its way around the country with performances from Durham to Southampton.
Later in the year, the third instalment of our Short Ballets for Small People, Elves & the Shoemaker, choreographed by Daniel de Andrade, was premièred in Leeds. This included a sell-out run at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, our first ever relaxed performance and two performances in community venues before heading off on a national tour.
‘Delightfully fresh’ What’s on Stage
‘Short, sweet and enchanting’ The Stage
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
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Northern Ballet and CBeebies We were delighted to team up with CBeebies again, reuniting Mr Bloom, the tiddlers and our dancers for the broadcast of Three Little Pigs and the filming of Elves & the Shoemaker.
With Elves & the Shoemaker which aired in 2015, Dancing Beebies took over Trinity Leeds to celebrate the third collaboration. This family event, which welcomed 70,000 people, featured performances, Firstly, Three Little Pigs provided craft activities, workshops and a special treat on Easter Monday the chance to meet CBeebies presenters. A select number 2014 as it was aired for the first of families were also treated time. Millions of children and their families were able to enjoy to an exclusive preview of the CBeebies television adaptation the magic of live ballet and theatre from the comfort of their held at the Everyman Cinema. living rooms.
This Page: Northern Ballet dancers in Elves & the Shoemaker. Opposite: Northern Ballet dancers in Three Little Pigs. Kiara Flavin and Filippo di Vilio in Elves & the Shoemaker. Photos Brian Slater.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
The Academy of Northern Ballet
Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) The Academy of Northern Ballet saw 100% of CAT Programme graduates going on to achieve places at vocational schools including English National Ballet School, Northern Ballet School in Manchester and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
CAT 10 Years As a graduate of the Academy’s Centre for Advanced Training Programme company dancer Matthew Topliss performed in a ten year celebration of the national CAT Programme held at Sadler’s Wells.
Graduate Programme Success The Graduate Programme continues to act as a finishing course for trained classical ballet dancers transitioning into a professional position, with dancers Fillipo Di Vilio, Kiara Flavin, Dominique Larose and Alice Bayston all awarded contracts with the Company. Siobhan Camkin became part of the Academy’s teaching faculty, training with Ballet Mistress Yoko Ichino.
Open Classes The Academy’s Open Classes continued to reach diverse audiences both within key areas of Leeds and across the wider region. 34% of adults, children and young people attending classes came from diverse backgrounds.
Find out more about The Academy
Opposite: Northern Ballet classes at The Academy of Northern Ballet. Photos Justin Slee.
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Learning
Audio Description 10 audio descriptions were delivered nationally with 107 blind or visually impaired patrons accessing performances.
Children’s Ballets To engage children and young people with our Short Ballets we delivered 71 workshops in nurseries, children’s centres, schools and private dance schools with 3,287 children and their families taking part.
Working in Schools 815 pupils from primary and secondary schools took part in our START education programme, taking part in workshops in school and visiting the theatre to see ballet for the first time.
Easter Course 46 children took part in our annual Easter Course with all achieving their Discover Arts Award.
Summer Course 46 children took part in our annual Summer Course.
Photos Gavin Joynt, Tony O’Connell and Tim Smith.
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Children’s Hospice Project 6 families took part in our START Hospice project which enabled families to visit the theatre and take part in participatory photography and dance sessions.
In Motion 6 young people in self propelling wheelchairs took part in regular dance sessions.
Ability 6 adults with learning disabilities attended weekly classes to train and create work.
Teacher Training We worked with 67 teachers to develop their skills in delivering dance.
Experience in the workplace 91 work placements, student placements and volunteering opportunities took place. We employed our first apprentice.
Find out more about Learning
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Development
In 2014/15, our Development Team surpassed their £750,000 target through generous donations from individuals, trusts and corporate organisations. These included:
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Five-year support pledged by the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation to be used wherever the need is greatest across the Company.
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The Emerald Foundation supported our new production of Romeo and Juliet, and our 45th Anniversary Gala. This ensured that we were able to attract some of the world’s finest ballet dancers and companies to join us in celebrating our anniversary.
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The Garfield Weston Foundation confirmed a three-year grant in support of three new children’s ballets.
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Continued support from first direct as Platinum Sponsors.
> E vans Property pledged to continue to support >
SG Hambros joined as a Gold Sponsor.
Northern Ballet as a Gold Sponsor for three years.
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The team also worked on launching the Future Builders giving programme.
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Members of our Friends scheme also formed the Active Fundraising Group, who have been invaluable in recruiting new members and feeding ideas into our Friends and Patrons schemes.
Support us now
Opposite: Northern Ballet dancers in The Great Gatsby. Photo Bill Cooper. Jeremy Curnier, Isaac Lee-Baker and Kevin Poeung in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo Andy Ross.
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre
The Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre seats up to 230 people and is located right in the heart of Leeds’ cultural quarter. This unique environment offers audiences the opportunity to see performances by Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance Theatre in a more intimate setting. It also offers a year-round programme of dance and family-friendly performances from up-and-coming and established artists, as well as dance schools such as Ballet Central and Flex Dance. In 2014/15 more than 11,500 people attended performances at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre to see acclaimed companies such as Ballet Black, 2Faced Dance and The Urban Playground Team.
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This Page: The Urban Playground Team. Photo Matthew Andrews. Ballet Black. Photo Bill Cooper. Opposite: Phoenix Dance Theatre. Photo Richard Moran.
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Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Our Home
Northern Ballet offers exceptional facilities and flexible options for conferences, meetings, events, formal dinners and performances with everything you need available on site. We can even offer team building activities and fun energiser sessions to ensure you have a memorable and productive day. Northern Ballet has welcomed clients from the BBC, Yorkshire Water, CBBC, ASDA, NHS England, Land Rover, first direct, Leeds Professional 100 Club, BskyB and many others over the last year. In 2014/15 we welcomed 112 meetings, conferences and events to Quarry Hill, with a total of 3,804 delegates coming through our doors.
Learn more about venue hire
Northern Ballet Annual Review 2014/15
Financial Summary
Download the 2014/15 Financial Statement
Key facts Revenue generated from touring:
£2,310,000 Donations received through fundraising:
£901,000
External funding received:
£3,038,000 Cost of artistic product and touring:
£6,100,000
Opposite: Northern Ballet at night. Photo Karl Andre. Back Page: Matthew Koon and Giuliano Contadini in Concertante. Photo Emma Kauldhar.
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Artistic Director David Nixon OBE Chief Executive Mark Skipper DL
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