August eNewsletter

With Hamlet opening next month we're feeling a little Shakespearean at Northern Ballet. Tobias Batley, who'll be playing Hamlet, and Yi Song, who will be appearing as Laertes, were recently photographed by Lisa Stonehouse. We think she's captured our men beautifully. Take a peek at her stunning images and see our boys in the flesh at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Sheffield Lyceum next month.

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Love has definitely been in the air over the last few months. Dancers Christie Duncan and Martin Bell got married (pictured above) and Ayana Kanda and Yi Song, Hannah Bateman and Kenneth Tindall, and Michela Paolacci and John Hull all announced their engagements.

We've had a baby boom too. Newly retired Company dancer Michael Berkin became the proud father of Jeremy John Laurence; Dance Education Officer Sophie Alder became a mum for the first time with the birth of Samson Taye, as did Communications Manager Catherine Mullaney with the birth of Spencer James. Congratulations to all.

Ballet on Briggate will take place on Friday 2 September from 12-2pm. Northern Ballet Company and Northern Ballet Academy will be accompanied by Phoenix Dance Theatre, Phoenix Youth Academy, ADAD, Kala Sangam, Manasamitra and Zoobin Surty Karma Dance who will entertain you with a mixture of contemporary, African, South Asian, Indian and Bollywood dance pieces. With energiser sessions, tastings from our new Café and prize draws throughout the event don’t miss this free celebration of dance in the centre of Leeds.

We're running a Dance in the City Summer School from 22–26 August for children aged 7-11 and 12-16. Former Company dancer, Michael Berkin, will teach class each day and participants will create short dances inspired by the city around them.

On 27 July, Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King, addressed around 200 Yorkshire business leaders during a breakfast meeting held at Northern Ballet and organised by the Chamber of Commerce. While he was here Sir Mervyn was introduced to budding ballet stars Max Cookward and Rebecca Stead (pictured above), both students of Northern Ballet Academy, before watching Academy Summer School students in class.

Well think again! We’ve re-launched Northern Ballet Café and we're selling a delicious range of hot and cold food made from locally sourced ingredients and we're delighted to now be serving Starbucks coffee.

Don't forget that Northern Ballet Sinfonia will be treating us to an intimate performance by their violin and piano duo on Thursday 1 September at 7.30pm in the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre at Northern Ballet. The programme will include Fauré’s Sonata in A, Milstein's Paganiniana and selections from Porgy and Bess.

When it comes to Northern Ballet we don’t think so!
We are thrilled to announce an addition to our performance schedule. Our first mixed programme in our new home will be next February featuring short works from a range of new and established choreographers.
Tickets are on sale now.