5 of the best
Northern Ballet productions to watch at home
1 1984
Streaming until May 2 Winston Smith lives in a world of absolute conformity, his every action is scrutinized by Big Brother. However, when Winston meets Julia he dares to rebel by falling in love. Based on George Orwell’s masterpiece and created by Guest Choreographer and former Royal Ballet dancer Jonathan Watkins, the boundarypushing production promises to change the way audiences think about ballet. The production won the dance award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards in June 2016.
Where to watch: Find Northern Ballet’s YouTube channel
2 EGO
Streaming now A variety of dance styles blend in this special short film, starring two of Northern Ballet’s leading dancers, Antoinette Brooks-Daw and Kevin Poeung. They are joined by breakdancer Sam Amos and
Jonadette Carpio, a specialist in krump, a street dance popularized in the USA and characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic movement. The work is set in Leeds, London and Lytham St
Annes in Lancashire and tells the story of a love affair operating on different levels – including the couple’s alter egos.
Where to watch: northernballet. com/digitaldance
3 LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Streaming now
A little girl is having a tea party with her mother, father and grandmother. Grandmother gives her a new red hood, and she puts it on dancing around the room. From now on, she will call herself Little Red Riding Hood - and there begins a muchloved fairytale adventure.
Where to watch: BBC
4 DRACULA
Coming soon to BBC Four and iPlayer
Seducing countless generations, Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire lives on in this extraordinary ballet. The dark tale of the immortal count is played out through Northern Ballet’s blend of sensuous dancing and gripping theatre enhanced by gothic sets and costumes. Expect a ballet full of dramatic bite - and one that may catch viewers unawares. Where to watch: BBC iPlayer in coming weeks
5 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION GALA
Streaming now
For one night only on
Sunday January 4 2020, some of the world’s finest dancers leapt into Leeds for a magnificent celebration of Northern Ballet’s 50th anniversary. The evening included performances from internationally renowned companies and included excerpts from Carmen, Massimo Moricone’s Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Casanova, 1984, A Simple Man, Madame Butterfly and much more. Where to watch: See northernballet.com/pay-asyou-feel-season