BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Ballet Theatre UK is touring with its latest production Beauty and the Beast.As the company heads toWales, we speak to the company’s founder and artistic director, Christopher Moore
Can you tell us a little bit about Ballet Theatre UK and how you came to found it?
Ballet Theatre UK is a ballet company that aims to provide the highest quality of classical dance to regional venues throughout the UK.
We have created 14 full length ballets over the past decade. This included the classics such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as original ballets like The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.
Throughout my dance career I noticed a gap in the industry for high quality ballet in theatres unable to host the larger companies such as the Royal Ballet, therefore wanted to deliver a production with the same standard adapted to suit the variety of theatres in the UK.
Ballet Theatre UK has been described as “innovative”. Why is that exactly?
I’ve taken traditional ballets, which to some people have become museum pieces, bringing them up-to-date for the modern audience and engaging our audiences with a passion and energy that I hope is inspiring.
The dancers bring much to the company making me able to create choreography which best shows their techniques.
What inspires you when you are creating a new ballet or choosing a new repertoire?
I’ve taken inspiration from an eclectic mix of classical dance, theatre, popular culture and literature to create new interpretations of popular classical ballets and I hope to continue to develop new and original productions in the future in the same way.
For how long do the dancers train for a new work?
We rehearse for six weeks intensively to create each new ballet.
Rehearsals continue once the production is on tour to ensure the work is always presented at its best.
Work continues on the nuances of the production, honing and perfecting the delivery of the show.
How many people work behind the scenes on a production, and what kind of things do they do?
We have a ballet mistress, who is responsible for the daily class the dancers undertake and the wellbeing of the dancers; a technical manager who ensures the show is installed in each theatre and is ready to roll out on time every night; a tour manager who organises, amongst other things, cast accommodation and their transportation to each venue; wardrobe and admin staff. Their roles are varied and very important to the smooth running of the company.
Who will be dancing the lead roles during the tour?
We are lucky enough to have several leading dancers within the company from many established companies from around the world.
This season the title role of Beauty will be danced by principal dancers Erin Flaherty and Anna Yliaho and the Beast by Ben Crossley-Pritchard and Oliver Cooper.
On tour, you have to constantly adapt to different theatres and stages. How long do you get to prepare and practice at a new venue?
We generally know what to expect at each theatre – the
stage size, space in the wings etc.
The technical team usually arrives early morning and the dancers follow during the morning.
Before each show, the dancers take a warm-up class then a show run through is undertaken after the technical installation is complete.
Depending on travel distances it can be only a few hours to install the show and be ready to perform.
For those who have never watched ballet, how would you persuade them to come along?
I had a retired gentleman approach me after one of our shows who said that he had never been to a ballet before and was so pleased he had now done so, having enjoyed it immensely.
I think it should be considered as one of life’s experiences; you’ll never know till you try it.
A live show with a high visual content and rousing music will always set the heart beating faster!
Romeo and Juliet is a perfect introduction as it is such a well-known story yet the complex choreography challenges the seasoned classical ballet fan. Beauty and the Beast will visit Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli, on November 17; Gwyn Hall, Neath, on December 2; Wyeside arts Centre, Builth Wells, on December 6; Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan, on December 7 and Blake Theatre, Monmouth, on December 8. For full details, visit ballettheatreuk.com