A large hall filled with people for a presentation

About the Burberry Inspire Programme

As part of the Burberry Inspire programme, Northern Ballet worked with each participating school to develop a tailored experience that met the school’s curriculum, careers and wellbeing aims for both students and teachers.

Cultural Experience

Every Key Stage 3 student was given the opportunity to watch a Northern Ballet performance. Approximately 3,000 students visited Leeds Grand Theatre for special matinee performances.

Teacher, Leeds East Academy

‘The performance was a fantastic opportunity for the pupils, particularly those who speak English as a second language because they were able to follow the story just as well as those who are native English speakers. It meant the performance was completely inclusive for our students.’

Workshops & After School Clubs

Our Dance Education Officers worked with the schools to understand where creativity could be injected into the curriculum, using creative dance in lessons such as PE, English and History to explore key learning aims. We showcased all aspects of working at a ballet company, including looking at set design in art classes and costume in textiles classes.

Our sessions ranged from one-off introductory sessions to in-depth project work with a class, for example creating a whole set for a performance.

‘Students really enjoyed the workshop and it was definitely beneficial for them in terms of exploring the text more and looking at it from a performance perspective. Students expressed how much they enjoyed the workshop afterwards and were heard talking about it to other students in the year group.’
Ruth Gorse, English Teacher
A group of students in a dance workshop. They are leaning to the side stretching one arm over and across themselves.
A student holds a puppet of a person which casts a shadow against a white sheet.
A group of students doing pencil-jumps into the air with Dance Education Officer Keisha Hamilton.
Three students sit around a large piece of paper with the word 'Otley' written on it.
A group of students in a dance workshop. They are holding their hands in fists in front of them and smiling.
Three students stand together holding a piece of fabric, in a classroom. They are looking at it closely.
The exterior of Leeds Gallery at night. An abstract projection of a woman with long black hair, other smaller figures and blocks of colour in reds, oranges and yellows feature.
Leeds Town Hall at night. Projected on the side of the building is an abstract artwork of a woman with dark long hair, other smaller figures and blocks of colour in red, orange and yellow feature.
A close up of a student painting. Their canvas has been painted in strips of dark green, light green and white. Their hands and paintbrush are hovering over the canvas.
‘I enjoyed the activities because it increased my confidence. It showed me how to work in a group.'
Student

Watch some of our dance films

Residency Days

We introduced students to the range of careers available at a ballet company in assemblies and lessons throughout the year, but also invited a smaller cohort of students to visit Northern Ballet HQ. During these Residency days, students toured the building and took part in a range of workshops delivered by Northern Ballet staff and associates.

‘There are a number of students here today who have only ever experienced dance at Castleford Academy. Today has given them a real taste of the pathways that they could follow in the arts and allowed them to experience what it would feel like to work within the industry’
Teacher, Castleford Academy
A large group of students listening to a talk by a Dance Education Officer in the foyer of Northern Ballet.
A group of students sat on the floor of a dark dance studio with some blue and yellow stage lighting. They are listening to a talk on lighting and technical.
A group of students on a tour of the Northern Ballet building. Mannequins and boxes of costumes can be seen in the background.
A group of students in a dance studio. They are watching a tutor leap into the air.
A group of students on a tour of Northern Ballet's offices, led by a Dance Education Officer.

The Runway

At the end of each year all the Burberry Inspire partners and schools came together for a huge celebration. Students shared their work and got to enjoy and appreciate the work of others.