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Support Gentleman Jack

We’ve been nominated and now we need your help… 

Our new ballet Gentleman Jack, touring in 2026, has been shortlisted for the Fedora 2025 Van Cleef & Arpels Dance Prize for innovation, which celebrates and supports the creation of productions that reimagine dance for the 21st Century.

As part of our nomination, Fedora is running a crowdfunding campaign on our behalf, to raise over £10,000 to kick start the production’s creation. Can you help?  

Gentleman Jack tells the story of Yorkshire icon Anne Lister, a fascinating 19th century figure who lived, dressed and loved as she desired. Anne’s life has inspired biographies, novels and even a hit BBC/HBO series, but we will be the first to tell her story through dance.

We need your help to do what we do best here at Northern Ballet and transform the tale of this incredible figure of Northern history into a ballet for audiences across the UK.

Watch the launch video

Find out more

Gentleman Jack will open in Leeds in spring 2026 before touring to Sheffield, Nottingham, Salford, London and Norwich. Our award-winning creative team will include Sally Wainwright, Gentleman Jack; series showrunner, choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (Frida and Coco Chanel, the life of a fashion icon) and New Zealand-based composer Claire Cowan, (Cinderella, Royal New Zealand Ballet) who will create a new score for the production. Following its UK tour, it will be performed in Helsinki by our partners, Finnish National Opera & Ballet.

Alongside the new ballet, our Learning team will be launching an extensive school education programme, which will explore themes of identity, allyship and compassion. By supporting young people to challenge prejudice, celebrate diversity and express themselves, we hope to make a lasting impact both on and off stage. 

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Give your donation a boost!

Every single donation we receive up to £10,000 will be matched pound for pound by one of our amazing supporters, so donate now to double your gift! You could also get yourself a special reward as a thank you for your donation.

Crowdfunding Results

Keep it going!

£10,000
 
19% Funded
£1,945 Raised
22 Donations

Northern Ballet will receive 100% of every donation made via northernballet.com

 

Donate

Other ways to donate

Cheque

Please make cheques payable to 'Northern Ballet Limited'

And send to:

Gentleman Jack appeal
Northern Ballet,
2 St. Cecilia Street,
Quarry Hill,
Leeds
LS2 7PA

BACS

Please contact the Development team for more details at development@northernballet.com

How your donation can help

£15 could buy one pair of ballet flats   
£40 could equip one of our dancers with a pair of pointe shoes 
£150 could fund a scenic artist or carpenter for a day to help create the new set
£700 could create and deliver learning initiatives including touch tours and a school workshop
£1,000 would fund the materials required to create a costume fit for the iconic Anne Lister
£3,000 would fund the creation of a major piece of the Gentleman Jack set
£4,000 would help to fund the costs of performing with live music throughout our tour 
 

Rewards

Stylised pattern in shades of green

For £100 or more

Receive a bespoke signed Gentleman Jack postcard
Scrooge watches on from a step in the background as a Young Scrooge dancers with Belle in the foreground.

For £500 or more

Receive a credit in Northern Ballet's production programmes and on our website amongst our Founder Supporters listing
Two dancers hold pieces of black fabric in front of them, following the instructions of a third dancer.

For £1,000 or more

Join a special rehearsal and insight event where you will see the production coming to life, and receive an invitation to the Opening Night celebrations
Two dancers against a cloudy background move to the right while leaning backwards and lifting their arm above their heads.

For £3,500 or more

Two invitations for the Opening Night performance and celebrations, and a bespoke visit to the Northern Ballet's set and wardrobe workshops to see the production as it is being created
Leeds Grand

For £4,500 or more

Attend an orchestral rehearsal before the production opens and watch a performance of Gentleman Jack from the orchestra pit.

Watch the launch video

In partnership with

Supporters

The Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation
Arts Council England
The Keith Howard Foundation
The Keller Family Foundation
 

Gentleman Jack Founder Supporters

Northern Ballet would like to thank the following supporters for helping to launch Gentleman Jack.

John and Pat Barnes
Jilly Burrows
Dr Frances Cole and Dr Judith Hooper 
The Hon. Mrs Diana Dent
Christine & Peter Farmer
Kate & Andrew Fisher
Jane & Alan Foale
Tim Gittins
John & Maggie Hayes
Mr and Mrs Mark Mackaness
Tim Turvey and Dr Janet Webster
Brett and Joan Woodward
and those who wish to remain anonymous