< PreviousOur autumn 2022 season Academy update You’ve had the opportunity to dance the Ugly Duckling role this season in our children’s ballet – how did you feel about dancing a lead role of a production? It was an honour and privilege to get the opportunity to dance the lead role in the company’s production of Ugly Duckling. Having just started the programme three months earlier, I never thought this chance would present itself so soon, and I am so grateful it did. As we started rehearsing the production soon after joining, it gave me valuable time to get to know the teaching and rehearsal staff, and of course, for them to get to know me more as a dancer. As it is a children’s ballet there is a lot of acting involved, so, I was coached on both the dancing and acting sides of the role. This was invaluable and I have learnt so much about portraying a character whilst also focusing on dance technique. Leah Allen is one of our Academy programme dancers who has recently been out on tour with the Company. Leah received a bursary to help with the costs of her training, and this support has allowed Leah great development opportunities. We caught up with Leah to find out about her experience on tour. What have you learnt from your most recent performance experiences with the Company? Every performance has a new audience and every performance allows us to tell our story through dance, so we need to give our best every time. This is what professional dancers strive for, and to connect and reach out to everyone in the audience and to make it a memorable performance for them. I do believe that if you love what you are doing this joy will be portrayed to the audience. It is about showing up every day and being willing to learn and improve – no matter how many years of experience you have under your belt. What do you enjoy most about being part of the Academy? I would definitely say the teachers and staff. They are 100% committed to the dancers and helping them reach their full potential. Their teaching experience, and knowledge they share, is helping us improve and combine all we have learnt over our years of training to become our own unique individual dancer. The other wonderful aspect of being at the Academy is being exposed to the Company and being included in some of their productions and rehearsals. We also get insight on how ballet companies run their wardrobes and even learn a little about the technical side of the productions. It is a privilege to be able to dance in the wonderful studios and feel a part of the Northern Ballet community. I have also had the opportunity to be involved with Student Support for Northern Ballet’s Centre for Advanced Training programme. It has been lovely to meet and engage with other dancers, and most enjoyable are the young ones, who have such enthusiasm for this art form – it’s such fun to see, to learn and improve – no matter how many years of experience you have under your belt. Leah’s bursary was kindly supported by Benefactors Jane and Alan Foale. 20Learning update Burberry Inspire From September 2018 to July 2022, our Learning Team has worked in partnership with The Burberry Foundation on a four-year schools programme to measure the impact of an immersive arts and cultural education curriculum for pupils aged 11-14. Alongside Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Young Film and The Hepworth Wakefield the project worked with eight schools across Yorkshire to inspire young people to develop their own creativity. The programme was delivered through Artists in Residence at each school, offering high quality workshops and insights into the sector in addition to cultural experiences, residencies, and performance opportunities. Pupils had the opportunity to work with choreographers, filmmakers, set and costume designers in their own classrooms, as well as seeing Northern Ballet productions at Leeds Grand Theatre and taking part in a celebratory performance at Leeds Playhouse in July 2022 to mark the end of this incredible project. The Covid-19 pandemic threw some obstacles our way, but we used this unique situation to work with pupils remotely, even reaching across the Atlantic to collaborate with American Ballet Theatre, where pupils from Yorkshire choreographed work which was developed and performed by professional dancers. You can watch some of the work here: The programme was created in close partnership with the Ideas Foundation, and the impact was studied by researchers from the Policy Institute at King’s College London, who have examined how cultural and creative education can help young people to overcome challenging circumstances, widen their horizons, and realize their aspirations. To find out more, read the celebration Burberry Inspire Report or watch this short film: Celebrating four years of Burberry Inspire Leeds Creative Skills Festival For one week in November, the Leeds Creative Skills Festival took over the city to shine a light on the wide range of creative careers and training options available in Leeds and surrounding areas. As a region, we are so lucky to host a wide range of creative and cultural organisations; not only is Leeds the only UK city outside of London to host both a ballet and opera company, we also boast companies like Channel 4 and a wide range of education and training institutions, with several universities with strong creative subject offers and Conservatoires in dance, music and performance. We went along to speak to young people in the city and hosted a workshop with set and costume designer Emma Williams, where pupils had the opportunity get hands on and be creative. Northern Ballet staff also engaged in the festival by taking part in a panel discussion, talking about their careers and the pathways to them. Left page: Northern Ballet Dancers in Ugly Duckling. Photos Emily Nuttall. Right page: American Ballet Theatre and Northern Ballet Dancers in Blended and Roots. Photos Emily Nuttall. 21What’s on Ugly Duckling Touring nationally spring 2023 The Great Gatsby 8 - 18 Mar 2023 Leeds Grand Theatre 21- 25 Mar 2023 Sheffield Lyceum Theatre 16 - 20 May 2023 London Sadler’s Wells Registered charity no. 259140. Company registration no. 947096. Northern Ballet Limited registered in England and Wales. Company limited by guarantee and share capital. Harris Beattie in The Nutcracker. Photo Bill Cooper. 22Next >