January 2012 eNewsletter

Happy New Year! We hope you've had a lovely festive period and are looking forward to what 2012 has to offer. We ended last year on a high with Beauty & the Beast proving our most successful Christmas season ever with more than 19,000 of you seeing it – thank you for coming. 'Magical', 'stunning', 'wonderful', 'a triumphant success' – your words not ours! See what audiences and the press have been saying. We're delighted to announce that Ashley Dixon, on whom the role of the Beast was created, has just been promoted to First Soloist.

Our TV Media Partner Sky Arts have made a documentary about the creation of the production. This will be broadcast on Sky Arts 2 at 5pm on 15 January, watch the trailer now.

Take a trip down memory lane with our interactive review of 2010-11. Including videos, trailers and rehearsal footage it is a real celebration of one of the busiest and most important years for Northern Ballet including the creation of Cleopatra and our building launch.

We are all looking forward to Perpetual Motion, our programme of short dance pieces which will be performed next month at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre. The exciting programme includes works by Scottish Ballet’s new Artistic Director Christopher Hampson, David Nixon, Daniel de Andrade (Northern Ballet's Ballet Master) and the choreographic debut from our Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall.

Next month sees the welcome return of Madame Butterfly and we've designed some special packages to celebrate. We've receptions where you can meet the dancers and hear David Nixon speak about his production and a luxury package with tickets, dinner and overnight stay at Rudding Park, Harrogate. On 1 February Northern Ballet and Opera North will present an exclusive insight into their critically acclaimed productions of Madame Butterfly in Butterfly (from the) Wings including excerpts from both adaptations and a pre-performance drinks reception. Take a look at Soloist Martin Bell's stunning photographs from when we last performed Madame Butterfly in Beijing.

Our hectic schedules mean we often forget to make time for ourselves. Northern Ballet's classes in dance and fitness are a chance to concentrate on you, and relax, energise or learn a whole new skill. We offer drop-in classes in Zumba©, ballet, Ballet Fusion (our fitness class combining ballet and Pilates techniques) and Dancing for the over 55s, all of which start this week. Courses in Pilates and Adult Beginners Ballet start next week.

We've just launched a website for the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre which is based within Northern Ballet's home in Leeds. To keep up-to-date with the exciting programme of dance, music, comedy and theatre including The Boy With Tape On His Face, Robin Ince, Northern Ballet Sinfonia and our contemporary dance season in association with Dep Arts sign up now for the eNewsletter. Everyone who signs up by the end of January 2012 will be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to a performance of their choice. Good luck!

With Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall's choreographic debut Project#1 being performed as part of Perpetual Motion we caught up with to find out more.

This free to enter group travel and event showcase will be held at Harewood House and will provide Group Travel Organiser's an opportunity to find out what's on offer for their group across the north of England and the East Midlands. Come and meet more than 60 exhibitors promoting destinations, attractions (including Northern Ballet), accommodation providers, event & tour operators. Book online or email julie.hart@grouptravelorganiser.com or phone 0845 166 8131.