Stage: classical and modern
Ballet Central bring their 2014 tour to The Hawth Crawley
The renowned graduate performing company Ballet Central are performing at The Hawth Crawley as part of their 2014 nationwide tour.
The annual tour offers a chance to see some of the most highly skilled, new dance talent perform new commissions and much-loved revivals by dance’s top choreographers.
William Glassman, artistic director of Ballet Central, explains why the Ballet Central tour is so well received: “Each year we bring a programme featuring works by some of the UK’s most highly acclaimed established choreographers and talented young choreographers to local theatres. It’s a chance to see electrifying new works and time-honoured favourites performed regionally.
This year’s repertoire includes a dynamic range of new pieces: a sharp-edged, neo-classical work by Northern Ballet’s Daniel de Andrade entitled Meraki to a new score by Ballet Central’s musical director Philip Feeney; a vibrant jazz number Toots Goes to Charleston by Leanne King; an enthralling narrative piece, Carousel Dances, by Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company Principal Artist Christopher Marney; and a thrilling new neo-classical work by current MA Choreography student Andrew McNicol. Classical ballet fans will relish the Corn Pas de Deux and Friends dance from Coppélia and a revival of Christopher Gable’s Five Lullabies. If it’s contemporary dance that excites, Sara Matthews is reviving one of her most popular works, Going South For The Winter, as well as her poignant solos, Rendezvous And Futility, to commemorate the centenary of the first world war.
In 2013 Ballet Central were thrilled to be invited to extend their tour to include The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they performed to sell-out audiences. The varied repertoire features a programme of ballet, contemporary, jazz and narrative dance suitable for families and all age groups.
Ballet Central is the touring company of the leading centre for professional dance training and education, Central School of Ballet (Central) based in London, which in 2013 celebrated its 30 year anniversary. Students on the final year of their three year BA (Hons) degree course join Ballet Central to gain invaluable touring experience before graduation. Ballet Central’s dancers not only perform but also help with all aspects of staging, from technical lighting to wardrobe. Another highlight of Ballet Central is the music, much of which has been created by Central’s Composer-in-Residence Philip Feeney who also performs live on the tour.
Sara Matthews, Central’s Director, comments: “We are the only vocational ballet school to offer an Honours Degree in Professional Dance and Performance and pre-professional touring experience on such a scale. Ballet Central continues to be a springboard for hundreds of dancers into the top international dance companies. Dancers live to perform so touring is a much anticipated part of our three year curriculum. And we hope that the Ballet Central tour will provide inspiration to young dancers who may be thinking about professional dance as a career.”
Graduates from Central go on to join the world’s premier dance companies. Recent Central students are currently employed with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company, English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, National Ballet of Estonia, Ballet Black, Northern Ballet, K Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Slovakia Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Billy Elliott and many more.
Ballet Central, Thursday 12 June 7.30pm, The Hawth Crawley
Box Office on 01293 553636 or book online at www.hawth.co.uk.
