insidethe magazine from Northern Ballet Theatre
YOKO ICHINONBT’s influentialBallet Mistress
MAKINGMOVESCathy Marstonchoreographer
momentumSupport NBT’snew home
Issue 4 Autumn 2008
issue 4
Welcome to a
new season of
performances and
another issue of
our fascinating
inside. Last year
was particularly
exciting for the
Company with the revival of
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the new
Nutcracker and the innovative
interpretation of Hamlet. Audience
support was great for the known and
happy titles but unfortunately Hamlet
proved less appealing. As a director I
have given this a lot of thought
because it is essential for the
Company’s artistic survival and growth
to experiment and work in a variety of
styles. Our creativity and depth as
artists can only mature and evolve
with a range of work. Yes, some people
found Hamlet disturbing but the world
is full of darkness and as artists we
need to move in this world to be more
able to beautifully capture the light.
It is disappointing to think that so few
of our audiences understood this
journey or chose to support it. I wish
a mechanism existed to discuss this
with you.
That said, there is much to celebrate.
The dancers are in great form,
producing extraordinary work and
performances. This summer the
Company has had the opportunity to
create a new work with the gifted
choreographer Cathy Marston. It has
been a marvellous journey and the
resultant A Tale of Two Cities is a
beautifully crafted and moving new
narrative work. It is a compliment to
the creative team and the Company.
It has been particularly exciting for me
as a director to step back and watch
the process and work as a ballet
master. To see a different approach
and to understand more succinctly the
beauty of narrative dance from the
outside in. It is my impression that an
audience limits its exposure to new
narratives because it expects the work
to relate too closely to the source and
is either turned off because they do
not like the title or are disappointed
because they expect a replica. A dance
narrative is inspired by the source but
offers a new perspective while
simultaneously offering an alternative
insid
e David NixonArtistic Director NBT
cover image:Georgina MayPhoto: Merlin Hendy
Phot
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3NBT news and eventsA new touring partner, staff
movements, forays into fashion and
all the latest from NBT.
5The reviews are inRead reviews of last season’s
productions.
6Yoko IchinoAn in-depth interview with our
wonderful Ballet Mistress covering
her illustrious career.
10Pull-out posterA handy guide to performances
and Friends’ events throughout
the season.
12Making movesA profile of Cathy Marston, the
choreographer of A Tale of Two Cities.
15Friends newsCelebrating 40 years of NBT and the
sky’s the limit for The Nutcracker.
16New building updateKeep up to date with the progress
of our momentum campaign and
the exciting building project.
17Growing togetherThe Learning & Access department
explain the success of the
Symbiosis project.
18Here come the boysDale and Joseph lead the way.
engagement because of the visual and
physical language. In watching A Tale of
Two Cities we can see at once the
essence of Dickens but also the
beauty and expression of movement
through space to music which tells its
own tale.
In this issue of inside there is an
interview with Yoko Ichino, NBT Ballet
Mistress, Curriculum Manager and my
wife. It was an honour to dance with
Yoko, who was not only a technical
wonder but also a dancer with brilliant
musicality and spiritual lightness of
execution. Even more wondrous is her
passion for the art form, her
generosity in passing on experience
and knowledge and her unique
comprehension of science and dance.
This year two of her students have
received places in full-time study. This
is impressive but it is much more so
when you consider the journey of
these two young men and what Yoko’s
method has allowed them to achieve.
Our fundraising team has been busy
cultivating support for our new
building. Thanks to support from
Leeds Metropolitan University we
have made good inroads into
momentum, the campaign to raise the
balance of funding of our £12million
building. In these days of economic
uncertainty we are grateful for your
support but we need it now more than
ever. momentum must be a success to
ensure very bright horizons for the
Company in a building that is not only
fit for purpose but also inspirational
for generations of dancers to come.
Many of you will have followed NBT’s
quest for a new building over the
years and as such I am sure you are
as pleased as I am that we are so
close to achieving our ambition.
This is the last inside while NBT is in its
30s. In 2009 we will reach 40 years
and to celebrate we are organising a
number of special events and a
commemorative performance
programme. It will be a very exciting
year but before this I hope you enjoy
the current season and I look forward
to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
David Nixon
3
inside: thenews
New tour partnerWe are delighted to announce
a new three-year partnership with
Leeds Metropolitan University
(Leeds Met) to support our UK tour.
It will enable us to continue to
deliver the highest quality dance
to audiences throughout the UK
and will provide Leeds Met
students with greater access to
ballet performances in the
theatre, to dance workshops at
the University and an
opportunity to work with us on
educational projects. You can
read further information about
the partnership in the next issue
of inside.
Phot
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The National Ballet of Slovenia has
invited Artistic Director David
Nixon to recreate his version of The
Nutcracker on the Company, which
will première on 7 November 2008.
The Estonian National Ballet has
invited David to recreate The Three
Musketeers, which will première in
April 2009. This spring David
returned to BalletMet, Ohio, to
oversee the revival of his Romeo
and Juliet for the Company’s 30th
anniversary celebrations. David was
identified as one of BalletMet’s 30
Pearls in recognition of his
contribution to the Company as a
former Artistic Director. David also
choreographed Steps to Bach for
Ballet Central and formally opened
the Latimer Dance Space in London.
A warm welcomeWe’re very pleased to welcome the
following people to the NBT
team… Steve Hughes, Company
Manager; Steve Wilkins, Chief Stage
Technician; Matt Millward, Chief
Electrician; Laura Sprake, Assistant
Electrician; Daniel Alcock, Flyman;
Olivia Dermot Walsh, Deputy Stage
Manager; Katie Turner, Assistant
Stage Manager; Heather Burtt,
Wardrobe Assistant; Janet Myers,
Corporate Fundraising Manager;
Stephanie Bell, Audience
Development Officer; Rebecca
Smith, Classical Training Assistant;
Chris Hobson, Company Pianist and
Sharon Marlow, Costume Supervisor
for A Tale of Two Cities.
Dancers who have joined the
Company are: Graham Kotowich
from the National Ballet School of
Canada; James Pickup from the
Ballet de l’Opera National de
Bordeaux; and Yoshihisa Arai from
the Royal Ballet School. We have
also welcomed three new
apprentices: Rym Kechacha who is
a graduate of the Central School of
Ballet, and Antoinette Brooks-Daw
and Brice Asnar who are graduates
of the Royal Ballet School.
PromotionsVictoria Sibson, Martin Bell and
Tobias Batley have been promoted
to Junior Soloists, Ashley Dixon to
Coryphée and, following their
apprenticeships, Thomas Aragones,
Rachael Gillespie, Ben Mitchell and
Jessica Morgan enter the Company
as 1st year dancers. Mikhaila Pye
has been promoted from Senior
Wardrobe Assistant to Deputy
Touring Wardrobe Manager and
Martin Smith has been promoted
from Assistant Electrician to
Deputy Chief Electrician.
We have said afond farewell to...Richard Godfrey, Chief Electrician;
Alexa Penny, Senior Assistant Stage
Manager; Paul Mansfield, Deputy
Chief Electrician; Chris Colling,
Sound/Electrician; Helen
Watkinson, Company Pianist; Amy
Hines, Wardrobe Assistant; Dawn
Atkinson, Marketing Officer;
Angela Stafford, Student Support
Administrator; Andy Barker, JADE
Fellow and Dancers Chantelle
Gotobed, Sarah Kundi and Kieran
Stoneley.
Hamlet and HRH NBT’s Patron, HRH The Earl of
Wessex, attended a performance
of Hamlet in February at Leeds
Grand Theatre. He went
backstage to congratulate the
dancers, musicians, artistic and
production teams after the
performance.
Artistic Director news
Phot
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A growing family Selina McGonagle, Director of
Learning & Access will be going on
maternity leave from October.
Annemarie Donoghue, Classical
Training Manager, will not return
from maternity leave but will
support our Classical Training
students on Saturday’s at West
Park. Congratulations to Junior
Soloist Ginnie Ray and NBT’s ex-
Chief Stage Technician Lee Rook
who got married in June.
Congratulations to our Stage
Manager Chun-Yen Chia and his
wife, ex-Principal Dancer, Chiaki
Nagao, who are expecting their
first baby in October.
Laverne MeyerWe were saddened to hear the
news of the death of Laverne
Meyer, the Company’s founding
Artistic Director, on Friday 25 April
aged 73. The Company dedicated
the final performance of Hamlet at
Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London to
Laverne. David Nixon said,“We are
extremely grateful to his
pioneering spirit and passion for
dance. His legacy lives on in the
Company you see now.”
Christopher Gable23 October is the tenth
anniversary of the death of
Christopher Gable, NBT’s Artistic
Director from 1987 to 1998. We are
marking the occasion by dedicating
the evening’s performance of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream at the
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford to
him. Our 40th anniversary revival
of A Simple Man will also be
dedicated to Christopher in
celebration of his life and his
contribution to NBT.
New BoardmembersWe have appointed four new
members to our Board of
Directors: Alan Harrison, Director
of Information Technology at
Yorkshire Water; Denise Jagger, a
partner at international law firm
Eversheds; Leeds Councillor John
Procter and Phil Swallow, Global
Managing Director of Quality and
Client Satisfaction at Accenture.
Phot
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4
inside: thenews
Breathing Space with Pyramid of ArtsThroughout July NBT collaborated with Pyramid of Arts on ‘Breathing Space’, a
unique project exploring the benefits of dance and physical movement with a
group of eight adults with profound and multiple disabilities.The project,
which ran at the Swarthmore Centre in Leeds, was an opportunity for the adults
and their carers to enjoy physical activity, live music and increase their mobility
and fitness during the ten creative dance sessions.The project was led by
Caroline Burn, NBT Dance Education Officer, and Alison Herbert, Arts Worker
from Pyramid of Arts, and was accompanied by NBT musician Bill Laurance.
Leeds MuseumThe new Leeds Museum throws
open its doors to the public after
months of renovations and
preparations this September.The
first temporary exhibition in the
museum is about dance in Leeds
and NBT will feature in a number of
ways. Dancer Lori Gilchrist tells her
dance journey on screen, Seara’s
costume from A Sleeping Beauty Tale
will be on display, as will footage
from NBT’s productions and some
material from our archive. A
weekend of performances in
Leeds’ Millennium Square marks
the occasion with NBT opening the
festivities by performing excerpts
from The Nutcracker on Saturday
13 September.
A group of Yorkshire’s finest dancers and musicians took part in
excellent!, a unique celebration of the achievements of this country’s
most talented young dancers and musicians who are supported by
the Department for Children, Schools and Families’ Music and
Dance Scheme. The performance took place at Sadler’s Wells
Theatre, London on 15 July.
14 dance students from NBT’s Centre for Advanced Training, run in
partnership with the Northern School of Contemporary Dance,
performed a new dance piece choreographed by Sharon Watson who
was previously Rehearsal Director for Phoenix Dance Theatre. They
performed to music composed by Andrew Stamatakis-Brown and
eight Yorkshire Young Musicians.
Our young dancers are excellent!
Followers of fashionFour of NBT’s dancers took part in a fashion shoot for the Manchester
Evening News ahead of performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at
the Palace Theatre in May.
Georgina May, Yi Song, Michela Paolacci and David Ward posed in
beautiful 1940s costumes from the production, designed by David
Nixon, at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, sometimes getting right down
to their stylish smalls!
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Learning & Accessreturn to China Building on the success of their
project with young able-bodied and
disabled people in Beijing, our
Learning & Access department has
been invited to return to China for
another project run in partnership
with the British Council.The Young
Advocates Programme – Developing
the Paralympic Spirit – is a five-day
forum taking place between 5-11
September. It will see 250 young
people from China, Hong Kong and
the UK coming together to promote
cultural awareness and learn new
skills.The project will link the 2008
Olympics in Beijing and the 2012
Olympics in London. NBT’s Dance
Education Officers Caroline Burn and
Sophie Alder will lead the project
with NBT musician Bill Laurance,
supported by Learning & Access
coordinator Jo Dean.
Phot
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lison
Her
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New buildingdevelopmentsWe are making good progress
with the new building we are
creating in partnership with
Phoenix Dance Theatre, which will
be built at Quarry Hill in central
Leeds. We have appointed a
participating contractor, the
planning application has been
submitted, the public art
commission is out to tender and
we have made inroads into our
fundraising campaign, momentum.
Read more about the new
building on page 16.
Phot
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5
inside: reviewing NBT’s Spring/Summer tour 2008
Power and influenceHamlet premièred on February 2008 at the Grand Theatre
and Opera House, Leeds. It has been seen by 18,982
people at 37 performances across five venues.
“…the piece contains some of the most powerfully
imagined choreography Nixon has created.”
The Guardian, February 2008
“The set and costumes were perfection, brilliantly capturing
the dark ambience of Paris under the iron fist of Hitler…”
Yorkshire Evening Post, February 2008
“…Nixon has created perhaps one of the greatest male
roles in contemporary dance…”
Sunday Express, February 2008
“…this Hamlet has a theatrical power and energy that
make it thoroughly compelling.”
The Mail on Sunday, March 2008
Romantic comedy of errorsA Midsummer Night’s Dream premièred in 2003. In 2008 it
has been seen by 29,013 people at 38 performances
across five venues.
“Northern Ballet Theatre have created many remarkable
dance dreams in the past, but David Nixon’s Midsummer
Night’s Dream is surely the most special.”
Manchester Evening News, May 2008
The reviews are in...
top: Christopher Hinton-Lewisas Hamlet and Nathalie Légeras Gertrude in Hamlet.
Photo: Dee Conway
NBT’s Shakespeare season saw the World Première of David Nixon’s production of Hamlet, and Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream remained in the repertoire.
“…this take on the Shakespearean romp is full of warmth
and humour, is elegant and athletic, intelligently
choreographed and produced – and perfectly executed.”
South Wales Echo, May 2008
Tragic loveRomeo & Juliet premièred in 1991. In 2008 it has been seen
by 5,388 people at seven performances in one venue.
“From tip to toe every dancer on the stage conveyed the
age-old text in a way which made words redundant.”
Rotherham Advertiser, May 2008
“...one of the most exciting moments of theatre I have ever
experienced.”
The Star (Sheffield), May 2008
6
“Her presence onstage isconsiderable...she seems litfrom within with a radiancethat captures the audience’sattention...and its heart..”On Yoko's performance in David Nixon's Romeo and Juliet,
Dance Magazine, September 1998
inside: the big interview
Some say behind every great man stands a great womanand in David Nixon’s case he wouldn’t disagree. When hedecided to leave BalletMet in Ohio, USA, and take up theposition of Artistic Director at NBT his wife, theinternationally renowned ballerina Yoko Ichino, gave himher full support and joined the Company as Ballet Mistressin 2001.
Brought together by their love for ballet, David and Yokomet in 1982 when they were on tour. Off stage theybecame Mr and Mrs Nixon, while onstage they danced theroles of the most famous ballet couples including Romeoand Juliet. As well as partnering Yoko, David has directlybenefited from her unique training methods, applying thisto everything he has learnt in his own illustrious career.
Yoko Ichino
7
Mai
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ko Ic
hino
Phot
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Hen
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Now, as the driving artistic force at NBT, David and Yokospend more time together than many couples.“It’s greatworking with David,” says Yoko,“We’ve done so much anddanced together more times than I can remember. We’velived in Germany, Canada, the USA and now England anddanced on pretty much every continent”.
Born in Los Angeles, Yoko began dancing for healthreasons when she was just six and went on to study withthe renowned ballerina Mia Slavenska. She began herprofessional career in 1972 when she joined the JoffreyBallet II as an Apprentice. What followed was a career thatspanned three decades and is one many dancers can onlydream of.“I’ve danced with the best of them andperformed countless times for audiences across the world,
including Princes, Princesses and dignitaries. I rememberonce being flown on Concord straight from aperformance of Giselle in Berlin to Toronto to perform inDon Quixote the following day. I nearly missed my plane, Iwas that tired!
“I’ve always been focused. I just wanted to be the best Icould be and of course I loved what I was doing.“
Yoko has been partnered by some of ballet’s greatestincluding the world famous Rudolph Nuryev:“Dancingwith Rudi was great. I learnt how to control my nerves atan early stage in my career, otherwise I’d fall apart onstage. What was nerve-racking was that Rudi wouldn’trehearse so you just had to go on stage and do it!“
8
inside: the big interview
Yoko has performed with more than 22 dance companiesacross the world, performing all the famous roles, from theSugar Plum Fairy to Juliet, and Butterfly in David’s MadameButterfly, a role he created for his wife. Her passion for theart form is visible in everything she does. Ballet is a way oflife:“I can’t imagine what I’d be doing now if I hadn’t takenthe path I did. It’s an honour to be able to do somethingyou love every day.
“I was never conceited about my success, it’s not a goodquality and it doesn’t help you to remain balanced andfocused, something you have to be if you want to be agood dancer. I’ve seen glimpses of it in students in the pastand I’ve helped them to overcome it.”
Since her final performance in 1998, Yoko has continued todevelop her gift for teaching with dance companies acrossthe world including Ballet de Monte Carlo, Stuttgart Balletand Nederlands Dance Theatre to name but a few.
Now as Ballet Mistress at NBT and Curriculum Manager ofNBT’s Classical Training School Yoko is keen to develop herholistic approach to training:“I want to teach young dancersto look after their bodies and be confident with technique.I want our dancers to have self-belief and know what’s bestfor them as individuals, that’s a really important part of mysyllabus.”
David and Yoko left behind a successful school at BalletMetfor the dream of creating a full-time school at NBT.“Whenwe first came over I realised it wasn’t going to be easy.I want to create a school in the North that offers accessibletraining with equal opportunities for students from allbackgrounds, focusing on their individual welfare andmaking the most of their talents. It’s a real issue in thiscountry if you are based outside London, especially in termsof our school. Students in the North do not get the sameopportunities as those in London, that’s just the way it isand it’s really disappointing.”
Left to right: Yoko Ichinoin Components at theNational Ballet of Canada,Toronto.Photo: courtesy of theNational Ballet of Canada
Yoko Ichino and DavidNixon in Don Quixote withAmerican Ballet Theatreat the MetropolitanOpera House, New York.Photo: courtesy ofAmerican Ballet Theatre
Yoko Ichino and DavidNixon in Giselle, Berlin.Photo: Peter Kranich
9
For the students and Company dancers alike one of the mostimportant things about having Yoko as a teacher is thewealth of experience she brings. It is something that setsNBT’s training in the region apart.“David and I know what it’slike to be in their position, to want something so badly inwhat can be a really competitive industry, it’s not easy. I thinkbecause they know we’ve been through what they are goingthrough now and see what we’ve achieved they understandwhy we ask for certain things from them.You can push formore from them and they respond well.”
So how does such a busy lady unwind? “ We don’t get a lot oftime to relax, we work really long hours but when we do getdowntime I spend most of it doing regular things like thehousehold chores, reading or watching the TV, especially CSI!
“Working together is good fun! David always asks me where Iget my energy from but I can never answer him. I don’t knowwhere it comes from, I’m just passionate about ballet.”
“He and Ichino movedas one,and theirdancing seemed asnatural as breathing.”
On David and Yoko dancing
Romeo and Juliet, Dance
Magazine, September 1998
Your pull-out-and-keep guide to NBT’s Autumn / Winter 2008 tour
Sat 30 August – Sat 6 September (No performance on Sunday 1 September)Leeds, West Yorkshire PlayhouseWORLD PREMIÈREBox Office: 0113 213 7700
Tues 23 – Sat 27 September Nottingham, Theatre RoyalBox Office: 0115 989 5555
Tues 30 September – Sat 4 OctoberSheffield, Lyceum TheatreBox Office: 0114 249 6000
Friends eventSat 27 SeptemberDay at the TheatreNottingham, Theatre Royal
Tues 21 – Sat 25 OctoberBradford, Alhambra TheatreBox Office: 01274 432 000
Tues 28 October – Sat 1 NovemberCanterbury, Marlowe TheatreBox Office: 01227 787 787
Comedy, tragedy & beyond
inside: friends events
A tale of twocities
Phot
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Tues 4 – Sat 8 NovemberHull, New TheatreBox Office: 01482 226 655
Tues 11 – Sat 15 NovemberWoking, New Victoria Box Office: 0870 060 6645
Tues 25 – Sat 29 NovemberMilton Keynes TheatreBox Office: 0870 060 6652
Tues 2 – Sat 6 DecemberBath, Theatre RoyalBox Office: 01225 448 844
Phot
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Phot
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ian
Slat
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HA
NSO
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dy & beyond
Please note, booking fees may apply
Weds 17 – Weds 31 December(No performances on Mon 22, 29 & Thurs25 Dec)Leeds, Grand TheatreBox Office: 0870 848 2701
Friends eventsSat 8 November Day at the TheatreHull, New Theatre
Sat 20 DecemberClass, pre-performance talkand festive lunch Leeds, Grand Theatre
Sat 15 November,11.15am –1.45pmEvent with the Friends ofBirmingham Royal BalletSunderland EmpireClass and pre-performance talk,£7 (cheques payable toBirmingham Royal Ballet)Applications and cheques to:Sheila Hitchman, FriendsCoordinator, Birmingham RoyalBallet,Thorp Street, Birmingham,B5 4AU by 4 November.
Friends eventsSat 25 October Class, pre-performance talk and lunchBradford, Alhambra Theatre
Sat 1 NovemberDay at the TheatreCanterbury, Marlowe Theatre
making moves
For the first time since David Nixon tookover as Artistic Director seven years ago,NBT has invited a guest choreographer tocreate an entirely new full-length work forthe Company. The choreographer inquestion is Cathy Marston, one of the mostgifted dance makers working today.
Born in Newcastle, Cathy Marston trainedat the Royal Ballet School and was the firstAssociate Artist of the Royal Opera House.She has toured the UK with her owncompany, The Cathy Marston Project, andis currently Artistic Director ofSwitzerland’s Bern Ballet.
With NBT she has taken on the challengeof creating a dance version of CharlesDickens’ classic story, A Tale of Two Cities.Here we find out more…
inside: interview
12
Main pic: Chiaki Nagao asButterfly in MadameButterfly.Photo: Linda Rich
Top: Photo: Brian Slater
Why did you want to choreograph A Tale of Two Cities?
It's been in the back of my mind as something I wanted
to do for a long time. I saw a black and white film
version of it as a child and it has always stayed with me.
I love the story and the great characters in it. A lot of my
work is concerned with duality – the idea of opposites
and shadow characters – and duality is a central theme
in this novel.
How do you work to develop the characters?
I often ask the dancers to come up with lists of words to
describe the characters or to define the situation or the
moment we’re working on. Sometimes the words can be
very dry and other times quite poetic. I might start with a
verb, by way of introducing the dancers to this way of
working. For example “open” or “whisper”, which are easy
enough to portray through movement. Then we abstract
them a little so you might open with your foot, or
whisper with the nape of your neck. Other times the
words might suggest qualities. When we were
developing Lorry's character, for example, the words that
came up were:“secure, contained, withheld, smooth, level,
moves
13
exact, unhurried”. We also tried to express the phrase
“deary me” through movement. Working on a scene
between the Marquis and Charles we tried to explore
what it is that Charles is feeling. There is a moment when
they both look at each other’s hands. Charles is feeling
almost revulsion at his own identity; he wants to deny
even the blood inside him because he feels it is wrong.
I prefer to find images like that – an abstracted physical
sense rather than acting out what is going on. When you
build up a lot of vocabulary you can see which things
stand out and motifs start to develop naturally. As soon as
you start to develop the characters with the dancers they
cease to be figures on a page and they develop more of a
three-dimensional personality. They become real people
rather than the symbolic people they are in the book.
How have you considered the casting of the dancers?
NBT is amazing in how it functions with between two and
four casts per production. Normally I would pick one cast
but because NBT performs so many times I am aware that
the piece has to work with almost everyone so it can’t be
about a specific dancer.
Photo: AdrianWeinbrecht
14
left: Kenneth Tindall,Georgina May andMartin Bell in A Tale of Two Cities.Photo: HANSON
below: Cathy Marstonin rehearsals forA Tale of Two Cities.Photo: Merlin Hendy
That’s why I ask everyone to contribute to the development of
a particular character. I know everyone is going to perform so
many parts in this piece that I want them all to have some
ownership of it. It has to come from everyone. All of the work
belongs to everybody in the Company.
How is the choreography affected by your work with both
ballet and contemporary companies?
I think I really do mix both languages. Contemporary is a huge
word – it can mean anything really. I have a movement
language that has always been natural to me. It’s fairly balletic:
I use line, generally the feet are pointed but not always turned
out. There is quite a lot of floor work, which isn’t found in ballet
but then I like to include a lot of high lifts as well. A Tale of Two
Cities is more of a ballet than I would make on my own
company. I think David Nixon was surprised I was using pointe
shoes but I like pointe shoes!
Find out more at: www.northernballettheatre.co.uk/atotc.html
inside: interview
15
Manchester Airports Group has renewedits support of NBT and to celebrate fourdancers went to the airport dressed ascharacters from The Nutcracker, much tothe amazement of people travellingthrough the airport. Manchester AirportsGroup has pledged £40k as part of its artssponsorship programme. Geoff Muirhead,Chief Executive, said:“We are extremelyproud of the partnership we have withNBT and we are honoured to be involvedwith one of the most prestigious artsorganisations not only in the Northwestbut in the UK.”
In 2009 we will perform a selection ofpast and present productions tocelebrate our 40th anniversary year. In thepast 40 years NBT has grown from a smallcompany of 12 dancers to one with 40dancers, and become one of the mostrespected companies in the UK.
2009 will open with a mixed programmeof the seminal work A Simple Man (GillianLynne), plus Angels in the Architecture (MarkGodden) and the Shades Scene from LaBayadere (Yoko Ichino after Marius Petipa).We will perform this mixed programme,our first mixed programme on a nationaltour since 2004, alongside a revival ofDavid Nixon’s Swan Lake,Wuthering Heightsand Massimo Moricone’s Romeo & Juliet.
In appreciation of KathWe were very sorry to hear of the death ofone of NBT’s longstanding Friends. KathSutheren had been a Friend of NBT formany years and enjoyed many NBTperformances and events, following theCompany all over the country even in herlater years. Mark Skipper, NBT’s ChiefExecutive says,“I met Kath on a number ofoccasions and I will remember her as ajoyful, warm person with great enthusiasmfor NBT and for ballet. She’ll be sadlymissed.” Kath’s support of NBT continueshowever as she was kind enough to leaveus a legacy. Mark adds,“We will make surethis money is put to good use and dancerswill feel the benefit of her kindness foryears to come.” If you would like to findout more about leaving a legacy to NBTplease contact our fundraising team [email protected].
Additional newsletterinside is a great way for us to keep youinformed of what’s going on at NBT andgive you a more in-depth insight into ourprojects and people.We would like tolaunch an additional Friends newsletterwhere you share your NBT news with us andthe other Friends of NBT.The content of thisnewsletter will be purely written by you, itmay be reviews of NBT performances,anecdotes, memories, or information aboutevents you are attending throughout theseason and would like to meet otherFriends at. In fact, it can be anything youwant to share with other Friends.Thenewsletter will be published initially twiceper year at the start of each season. Pleasesend anything you would like included inthe newsletter to Judith Baker, Friends andEvents Manager by January 2009 [email protected] orwrite to Judith at the normal NBT address.
inside: Friends update
The autumn/winter 2009 tour will see thereturn of David Nixon’s Dracula and PeterPan as well as the festive favourite,A Christmas Carol.
Two special events are planned forDecember 2009 in our home city ofLeeds. We are inviting alumni back toperform alongside current companymembers, in a unique performance of A Christmas Carol on 5 December. On 12December, the artists of NBT will bejoined by special guests for ananniversary gala performance featuringexcerpts of NBT’s and other productions.A number of birthday parties are planned during the year at our regulartouring venues.
Celebrating 40 years of NBT
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Up,up and away
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momentum updatemomentum is our fundraising campaign forthe new building in partnership withPhoenix Dance Theatre in central Leeds. Atthe start of the campaign we had£1.5million to raise out of a total budget of£12million. To date we have secured inexcess of £840,000 towards the fundraisingtarget with Leeds Met as lead momentumdonor, but obviously there is a long way togo. We need your help to close the fundinggap. There are several ways of supporting us:
Buy a brick: £50
Ballet Barre: £150
Studio Mirror: £250
Name a Seat: £500
Gym Equipment: from £1000
Piano: from £2500
Lighting & Sound Equipment: from £5000
We welcome donations of any size and alldonors will be acknowledged in the newdance centre.
a new home
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In two years time Northern Ballet Theatre and Phoenix Dance Theatre willmove in together. Our new purpose-built headquarters will be a major newcentre for dance in the North with students from Leeds Metropolitan Universityand eventually, students from our own full-time classical dance school workingalongside both companies. Here we update you on progress.
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inside:Friends update
“Our new building will be acentre of excellence for dance inthe North of England,a place thatwill complement the best dancespaces in the UK.”David Nixon, Artistic Director, NBT
Building progressWates has joined the project asParticipating Contractor and detaileddesigns are now at an advanced stage.Wates is working closely with theArchitects, the Strategic Design Alliance – a partnership of Jacobs Architecture andLeeds City Council’s in-house architecturalconsultancy – to ensure financial costingsremain robust and within budget. Theplanning application has been submittedwith the outcome anticipated inSeptember/October. Work is scheduled tostart on site in spring 2009 withoccupancy in summer 2010.
An exciting part of the plans for NBT’scapital project is the commissioning of apiece or pieces of public art to beincorporated within the building. All ArtsCouncil England funded Lottery projectsrequire an element of the budget to bespent on artwork and we are working withLeeds City Council’s public arts officer tosecure something special for the building.There is a broad brief for the public artcommission, it could be anything and useany medium, other than water. There arethree potential locations identified by thedesign team for the installation: the atriumentrance area, the glazing to the southfaçade, and the projecting balconies to thesouth façade. The artist is due to beappointed in October.
Keep up to date with thelatest developments in our momentum campaignand building project byvisiting www.building-momentum.co.uk
above: Image of the new building.Photo: The SDA, Leeds CityCouncil’s strategic design alliancewith Jacobs Architecture
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growing together
For the past two years NBT’s Learning &Access department has been working inpartnership with Beckfoot School in Bradfordand Leeds Met’s Innovation North on aunique project that utilises dance as a newapproach to teaching GCSE Science.
The project began with NBT working withteachers at Beckfoot School to develop newschemes of work, delivering Year 8 scienceobjectives through dance and Year 8 danceobjectives through science.This was followedby a three-day creative lab session forBeckfoot School staff and dance and sciencespecialists to discuss ideas for new ways ofteaching science through dance.
In May 2007 the project expanded and NBTbegan working with Year 9 pupils at BeckfootSchool. 20 pupils visited NBT for a week-longresidency using dance to explore theformation of the earth, galaxies and the big
bang theory.The pupilsworked with NBT
Symbiosis: an interaction between two different organisms livingin close physical association especially to the advantage of both.
inside:with learning & access
Dance Education Officer Sophie Alder tocreate an original dance piece that theyperformed for peers, family and friends atBeckfoot School on 5 July.The performancewas created in collaboration with composerGraham Coatman and performed againstanimated backdrops created by digital artistCarolyn Mendelssohn.
An interactive DVD,‘Learning Science throughDance and Learning Dance through Science’was produced as a teaching resource.TheDVD, created by all the partners andInnovation North, was launched in July at aconference at Beckfoot School, attended bymore than 65 teachers.The DVD is aimed atsecondary science and PE/dance teachersand students of dance and science. It coverspart of the GCSE Science curriculum, the Earthin the Universe. It demonstrates how scientificconcepts can be taughtthrough movementactivities and how
dance can be created from these concepts,encouraging teachers to explore methods forproducing dance material. The DVD includes aseparate audio CD of music and visualresources that teachers could build into theirown teaching practices. If you would like acopy of the resource please contact NBT’sLearning & Access department.
Selina McGonagle, Director of Learning &Access said,“Symbiosis has reallyhighlighted the importance ofoffering young people theopportunity to experiencedifferent ways of learningand exploring teachingmethods that can bringto life traditionalclassroom-basedsubjects in an excitingand innovative way.“
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inside: the classical training department
focus on the best option for theindividual student. The training allowsstudents to develop their individualskills beyond ballet technique underthe guidance of an expert teachingfaculty. Joseph explains,“I lovechoreography and I’ve beenencouraged to develop my passion.Yoko helps us to realise what the bestoption for us might be. I love classicaldance but I also love contemporaryand Yoko has helped me embracemy skills and become a betterdancer.”
Joseph and Dale both feel thatbeing able to live at homewhilst training has been areal plus.“Living at homemeans you have thesupport of your family andfriends and you’re able tohave something of a normallife, while doing somethingyou love and still being ateenager,” says Joseph.
“I didn’t feel ready to moveaway at 11 so NBT has beenperfect for me.”Dale.
For these young students training withYoko is a real advantage:“BecauseYoko’s been a professional herself itmakes the training a lot more realistic,you can see why she asks us to docertain things because she’s beenthere and done it so you trust herjudgement,” says Dale.
The move to full-time training is thestart of a new chapter for Dale andJoseph and is a significant milestonefor NBT’s Classical Training School. ForNBT, the graduation of two studentswith such great potential only makesthe Company even hungrier for a full-time school at which dance talentfrom the North can be nurtured tocreate the Keiko Amemoris andHironao Takahashis of the future.
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We introduce you to two of the shining stars of the ClassicalTraining department whose dedication and passion will provideinspiration for future generations of dancers.
Dale Rhodes and Joseph Poultongraduated from NBT’s ClassicalTraining programme this summer andhave taken their biggest ballet stepsyet as they pursue their professionaldancing dream. Joseph has joined theRambert School of Ballet andContemporary Dance and Dale hasjoined English National Ballet School.
Shining examples of what NBT’straining stands for – accessibility,determination and individualguidance beyond traditionaltechnique – Dale and Joseph haveboth come a long way already,although each taking very differentpaths. Dale’s love for dance began atjust three years old whereas Joseph’sinterest developed a little later fromwatching his sister in class.
The training NBT’s students receivediffers from more traditional teachingmethods and Yoko Ichino’s holisticapproach has left a lasting impressionon Dale who dreams of a classicaldance career:“I feel like I’ve come sucha long way in this last year. To preparefor auditions I’ve been having one-to-one teaching with Yoko, which hasbeen the highlight of my training.She’s taught me so much, not justtechnically but she’s changed my wayof thinking. I’m so much more focusednow and that’s really helped developmy technique. I know being a danceris what I want, I know how hard it isbut I’m so determined to get there.”
Yoko’s unique syllabus looks todevelop traditional teaching methods,not only focusing student’s minds onclassical technique but also preparingstudents mentally for full-time trainingand a career in dance. As well as balletclasses, students take contemporaryand jazz classes, study anatomy andlearn about a range of career optionsin the arts.
Students are taught how to take careof their bodies and their minds, with a
above: Dale Rhodesrehearses. Photo: DarrenGoldsmith
right: Joseph Poulton inthe dance studio.Photo: Darren Goldsmith
inside is published biannually by Northern Ballet Theatre
Northern Ballet TheatreWest Park CentreSpen LaneLeeds LS16 5BE Telephone +44 (0)113 274 5355Fax +44 (0)113 274 5381www.northernballettheatre.co.uk
BOARD OF DIRECTORSCouncillor Bernard Atha CBE (Chairman)Dr Jo ButterworthGraham DewhirstJudith Donovan CBEDavid ForbesJon HammondSusie HargreavesAlan HarrisonDenise JaggerJuliet JowittProfessor Simon LeeCouncillor John ProcterPhil Swallow
ARTISTIC DIRECTORDavid Nixon
CHIEF EXECUTIVEMark Skipper
MUSIC DIRECTORJohn Pryce-Jones
INSIDE EDITORIAL TEAMLaraine Penson Ruth Burke-KennedyCatherine Hall
Northern Ballet Theatre is a touring narrative dancecompany whose distinctive blend of classical danceand theatre is renowned for captivating newaudiences. For up to 30 weeks of the year NBT’scompany of 40 dancers tour a combination of newwork and acclaimed repertory pieces to all four UKcountries and overseas.This extensive touringschedule demonstrates NBT’s commitment toproviding opportunities for all people to have access toexcellence in dance performance and participation.
Designed by Andrassy Design01484 434844
Printed by Axis01484 722 732
Supported by:
Charity No: 259140VAT No: 146 6307 66Company Registration No: 947096Registered in England and WalesCompany limited by guarantee and share capital
Please note that information is correct at the time of publication but is subject to change.
“We don’t want to leave NBT,we’re so sad it’s all nearly over,it’s just been so amazing.”
Joseph Poulton,
NBT Classical Training Graduate
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