In 2020 we have been celebrating 50 years of Northern Ballet. Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of our plans, like many of yours we're sure, ended up changed, postponed or cancelled.
Even so, before lockdown took hold, we were able to celebrate the early months of our anniversary year in style. Here we take a look back at some of what took place...
We held a photo shoot to get some magnificent images to celebrate the Company at 50 years old.
BBC star and Northern Ballet Board member Anita Rani helped us launch our anniversary year plans with a live streamed event, including a message from HRH The Earl of Wessex.
The press shared our story looking back at 50 years of the Company. Here are a couple you can still view online:
We held a glittering 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala attended by special guests from as far afield as Chicago. Click here to view two videos of highlights.
We performed the world première of Geisha, a ballet by Kenneth Tindall with music by Alexandra Harwood.
In lockdown, we launched a host of new digital content, winning a Northern Marketing Award for our Pay As You Feel Season. Here are links to some of the films:
- EGO
- For an Instant
- Termagant and Men Dances
- Dracula on BBC iPlayer
- View more on our Digital Dance Platform
We returned to the stage in October for our first live performances in more than seven months with three mixed programmes and a seductive revival of Dangerous Liaisons at Leeds Playhouse.
We were also thrilled that Victoria, choreographed by Cathy Marston, won the dance award at this year's South Bank Sky Arts Awards.
Even though this year didn't go how we'd planned, it will certainly be one of the most memorable in our history!
Next year we very much hope to be back on stage and touring again and are especially looking forward to the rescheduled world première of Merlin in the autumn.
We would like to thank you all for your support over this challenging year, and especially to those of you who have generously donated to the Company to help us through these times.
Click here for more information on our Bring Back the Magic Appeal.