CONTEMPORARY CUTS Leeds Playhouse 23 - 24 October 2020 Welcome David Nixon OBE Artistic Director Production supported by David Nixon OBE. Photo Simon Lawson. Cover: Joseph Taylor and Dreda Blow in Little Monsters. Photo Emma Kauldhar. This season we had planned to perform The Great Gatsby and present the world première of Drew McOnie’s Merlin. However, the restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic have made this impossible. Our dancers have endured months of trying to maintain their fitness from home in the confines of their kitchens and living rooms. For the majority of them, it was the longest time they had been away from a ballet studio since they began classes as children. With the majority of our staff furloughed and watching our planned performances get cancelled week by week, a spark of hope was ignited as restrictions loosened a little and finally allowed our dancers to return to training in small groups. By the summer, the hunger and need the Company has to perform, as well as the community’s desire to regain some sense of normality, was palpable. In the face of numerous challenges, we determined to find a way to return to the stage for live performances. It was impossible for us to stage one of our large-scale productions due to social distancing restrictions and the financial viability of performing to smaller audiences. However, with the support of Leeds Playhouse, we established this programme of three one-act mixed bills and the revival of Dangerous Liaisons. This programme gives us an opportunity to stage work that we would not normally do and work that is rarely staged, alongside excerpts from some of our more recent productions. Again, it has not been possible to stage these works in the way we usually would; we have had to use our Sinfonia made up of less players and cannot feature the sets. But we are committed to maintaining as much production value as we possibly can, whilst prioritising the safety of our dancers, musicians, backstage staff, venue staff and audiences. As I write this, I am fully aware that with the ever-changing situation we find ourselves in this year, there is always a chance that these performances will not be able to go ahead after all. Even if they do, we still find ourselves with an uncertain future ahead as we try to plan our 2021 tour without knowing what the situation will be by then. The arts industry has been badly affected by lockdown and as it stands, the future for many organisations is not guaranteed. If you are in a position to be able to do so, you can help by donating money, or not claiming a refund on cancelled tickets, instead please consider accepting a credit voucher or transferring your ticket to another event. If you would like to donate to Northern Ballet, we would be incredibly grateful. Please see northernballet.com/magic for details of our current appeal. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our audiences, individual and corporate supporters, and trusts and foundations who have continued to support us throughout this time, as well as Arts Council England and Leeds City Council. I would also like to thank every person who works for Northern Ballet. You have all shown tremendous resilience in the face of huge difficulty and anxiety over the last few months, and your determination in making it possible for us to offer these performances just shows the spirit that Northern Ballet has as a community. Thank you for joining us for these performances. Keep well. Stay safe. 2Mamela... encompasses the themes of frustration, escapism and imprisonment. The feeling of being trapped in the unknown and the conflict between the head and the heart. Choreography Mlindi Kulashe Music Jack Edmonds Costume Design Kimie Nakano Staged by Daniel de Andrade Opening Trio Performances Mamela… Little Monsters In Little Monsters a love story is told from the beginning to its end based on the scenarios expressed through the lyrics and emotional landscapes created in three songs by Elvis Presley. Choreography Demis Volpi Music Elvis Presley Costume Design Katharina Schlipf Staged by Daniel de Andrade Countryside Pas de Deux Winston and Julia plan a secret meeting away from the omnipresent eyes of Big Brother. They travel to the countryside where they give in to their lust and begin a passionate love affair. Choreography Jonathan Watkins Music Alex Baranowski Costume Design Simon Daw Staged by Daniel de Andrade 1984 Proposal Pas de Deux Jane Eyre Mr Rochester attempts to revive the intimacy with a hesitant Jane who believes he is engaged to another. He gently mocks her, encouraging her to unleash her jealousy and passion before proposing marriage. Choreography Cathy Marston Music Philip Feeney Costume Design Patrick Kinmonth Staged by Daniel de Andrade & Christelle Horna 3Performances Inspired by a collection of thoughts, feelings and news headlines from lockdown, this work is an abstract response through movement, to a selection of situations experienced in recent months. Music licensed by Basta Music Choreography Kenneth Tindall Assistant Christelle Horna Music Johann Sebastian Bach, Jacob Ter Veldhuis & Aretha Franklin Sound Design Neill Rigg Costume Design Hannah Bateman States of Mind Dreda Blow and Javier Torres in Jane Eyre. Photo Caroline Holden. Three Preludes World Première An excerpt from the toe-tapping spectacle that is I Got Rhythm, Three Preludes celebrates some of the best music of the roaring 20s. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music George Gershwin Costume Design David Nixon OBE Solo Piano Andrew Dunlop Staged by Daniel de Andrade I Got Rhythm 4Production credits TechnicalWardrobe Production Manager Steve Wilkins Lighting recreated by Alastair West Company Manager Emily Deller Production Stage Manager Lyndsey Holmes Production Deputy Stage Manager Chun-Yen Chia Production Electrician Chris Alexander Lighting Programmer Abbi Fearnley Production Sound Engineer Kevin Heap Props Northern Ballet Stage Management Lighting Equipment Hawthorn LogisticsStagefreight Isaac Lee-Baker and Dreda Blow in 1984. Photo Emma Kauldhar . Head of Wardrobe Kim Brassley Wardrobe Supervisor Mikhaila Pye Assisted by Julie Anderson Carley Marsh With help from Donna Hardcastle Ellie Kemp Holly Prescott Roxanne Major Hair, Make- Up & Wigs Supervisor Harriet Rogers 5The Dancers - Our Collaborative Artists Premier Dancers Antoinette Brooks-Daw Javier Torres Principal Soloists Ashley Dixon Abigail Prudames Leading Soloists Mlindi Kulashe Ayami Miyata Joseph Taylor First Soloists Sean Bates Sarah Chun Rachael Gillespie Riku Ito Minju Kang Matthew Koon Dominique Larose Kevin Poeung Soloists Jonathan Hanks Matthew Topliss Junior Soloists Filippo Di Vilio Lorenzo Trossello Coryphée Miki Akuta Gavin McCaig Mariana Rodrigues Dancers Harris Beattie Helen Bogatch Alessandra Bramante Wesley Branch Natalia Kerner Sena Kitano Kyungka Kwak Heather Lehan George Liang Harriet Marden Charlotte McKay Aerys Merrill Matthew Morrell Julie Nunès Bruno Serraclara Andrew Tomlinson Apprentices Sara Dos Remedios Albert Gonzalez Orts Leandro Olcese Aurora Piccininni Archie Sherman For dancer biographies visit northernballet.com/dancers 6We extend our deepest thanks to our corporate sponsors, individual supporters and trusts and foundations whose essential support has become even more critical as we try to overcome the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We cannot list everyone here, but we are so grateful for your ongoing support during this difficult time, and please know that we remain committed to ensuring that the company you love will return to the tours and productions you expect, better than ever, as soon as it is permitted and safe to do so. With Grateful Thanks For more information on ways you can support Northern Ballet, please visit northernballet.com/support-us Antoinette Brookes-Daw, Rachael Gillespie and Pippa Moore. Photo Guy Farrow. 7We began this year celebrating 50 years of Northern Ballet with plans to bring two new ballets, Geisha and Merlin, to audiences nationwide. Find out more about how your donation will help at northernballet.com/magic However, in place of celebration, we now find ourselves facing the tremendous strain that the Covid-19 pandemic places upon our ability to create, perform and teach ballet. As a result, our 2020 world première of Merlin has been postponed. We need your help to ensure the magic of Merlin finally becomes a reality for its rescheduled world première in 2021. Rachael Gillespie in Merlin. Photo Guy Farrow.Next >