SUMMER CREATIONS: New Works

Wednesday June 6^th 2018

Elmhurst Ballet School presents Summer Creations: New Works, a suite of ‘New Works’ that have been commissioned especially for the school by industry leading choreographers. The diverse programme of Lower, Upper and Whole School Summer Creations performances, presented in our studio theatre, is the perfect opportunity to watch the dance stars of the future performing classical ballet to cutting edge contemporary work by an exciting array of dance makers.  

The Upper School shows will include a new contemporary dance piece by critically acclaimed choreographer Alexander Whitley. Having created work for several of the UK's leading companies including Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Rambert, Balletboyz and Candoco, it’s a coup for the school to have this Sadler’s Wells’ New Wave Associate Artist and Rambert Associate creating work for our students. Danced by the graduates, it will mark the final year students’ last performance at Elmhurst before they take up positions in dance companies across the world. 

Also choreographing for Summer Creations Upper School shows is French-born, Germany-based modern dance choreographer Stéphen Delattre. He makes a welcome return to Elmhurst after creating work for last year’s summer shows. Zak Nemorin is a performer with many West End shows to his name. Also a teacher & filmmaker, it is with his choreographer’s hat on that he creates a jazz piece for the 2018 graduates. Brogan McKelvey, an Elmhurst graduate of 2017, Artist of Birmingham Royal Ballet (2017 – 18) and independent choreographer, will highlight the talent and versatility of Elmhurst-trained dancers, past and present, by creating a classical ballet inspired piece for the current Upper School students. 

Flamenco Edition producer and teacher Ana Garcia, Gloria Grigolato, Michael Ho, Silvia Jimenez, Hannah Lockyer, Tania Matos, Errol Pickford and Lei Zhao, and student Lorena Hardwick (Upper School Choreographic Awards winner), complete the Upper School show’s choreographic line-up. 

For the Lower School students and shows, Birmingham based Laura Vanhulle, artistic director of Vanhulle Dance Theatre, creates a contemporary dance synonymous with her unique and dynamic choreographic style – a fusion of salsa, Kathak (Indian classical dance), African dance, gymnastics and yoga.  Vanhulle was one of three recipients to be awarded Dance Hub Birmingham’s first artistic commissions and bursaries in 2017. The support enabled Vanhulle to attend the Women in Dance Leadership Conference in the USA earlier this year. 

Ballet, Jazz, Character, Contemporary and Flamenco give additional dance flavours to the Lower School performances as our artistic staff Ana Garcia, Laura Green, Gloria Grigolato, Jim Grundy, Silvia Jimenez, Nicky Linzie, Jenny MacNamara, Sarah Moore, Lee Robinson, Andrea Tredinnick and Denise Whiteman, and student Olivia Chang-Clarke (Lower School Choreographic Awards winner) create a range of new dance works for the younger students aged between 11 and 16. 

Some of the Elmhurst Young Dancers from the school’s weekend classes will perform during the Lower School shows on Sunday 8^th July at 2pm. 

The Whole School come together for two performances during the run of shows, giving audiences an opportunity to see work by the majority of choreographers including Alexander Whitley, Stéphen Delattre, Laura Vanhulle and Zak Nemorin. 

Friday 6^th July at 7pm – LOWER SCHOOL

Saturday 7^th July at 2pm – LOWER SCHOOL 

Saturday 7^th July at 7pm – UPPER SCHOOL 

Sunday 8^th at 2pm – LOWER SCHOOL AND ELMHURST YOUNG DANCERS

Sunday 8^th July at 7pm – UPPER SCHOOL 

Tuesday 10^th July at 7pm – WHOLE SCHOOL  

Thursday 12^th July at 7pm – WHOLE SCHOOL (GALA EVENING – for further details contact development@elmhurstdance.co.uk) 

Friday 13^th July at 2.30pm - WHOLE SCHOOL (SOLD OUT)

Book your tickets online: https://elmhurstballetschool.eventbrite.co.uk/ 

All performances take place in Elmhurst Ballet School’s studio theatre, 249 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B5 7UH

Running times for all performances is approximately 2 hours (includes one interval)