Awakenings

Tuesday June 11^th 2019

Elmhurst Ballet School presents ‘Awakenings’ a diverse programme of dance by world leading guest choreographers, the school’s artistic staff, and students whose talent shines in choreography as well as performance. 

The mixed programme of Lower, Upper and Whole School Awakenings shows, presented in our studio theatre, is the perfect opportunity to watch the dance stars of the future performing classical ballet to cutting edge contemporary dance. Always a favourite with audiences, flamenco makes a fiery return too!

The Upper School shows include Wayne McGregor’s Entity (excerpt) performed by the very first Elmhurst Ballet Company made up of graduate students who are about to leave the school and enter professional dance companies at home and across the world. Wayne McGregor CBE, Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, is a Vice President of Elmhurst and the recent appointment marks an ongoing partnership between Elmhurst Ballet School and Studio Wayne McGregor. More contemporary dance pieces choreographed by Daniela Cardim, Stephen Delattre. Creating a jazz piece for Elmhurst Ballet Company is Nikki Wollaston.

Completing the Upper School performances will be excerpts from Sir Peter Wright’s The Sleeping Beauty, one of the grandest ballets ever created, with a classical score by Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Marius Petipa. Watch as our students awaken their talents through Wright’s choreography, and with thanks to the wardrobe department of Birmingham Royal Ballet they adorn the production’s stunning tutus and costumes designed by Philip Prowse. 

For the Lower School students and shows, alumnus James Lovell returns to school to create a new work for our Year 11 students. Lovell graduated from Elmhurst a year early in 2018 to join the cast of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake for which he received rave reviews for his portrayal of The Prince. At Elmhurst we encourage all our students to create dance, and the Lower School shows will present choreography by Year 10Ronnie Bates (Lower School Choreography Competition winner), Year 11 Olivia Chang-Clarke (David Bintley Choreographic Award and recent Phyllis Bedells Bursary Award winner) and Year 11 Serena McCall (Elmhurst Ballet School Choreographic winner). 

Some of our Elmhurst Young Dancers from the school’s weekend classes will perform during the Lower School show on Sunday 7^th July at 2pm. 

The Whole School come together in four performances during the summer run of shows, giving audiences an opportunity to see the impressive range of choreography on offer including the works by Sir Peter Wright, Wayne McGregor, Daniela Cardim and Stephen Delattre. 

The shows would not be possible without the artistic staff at Elmhurst Ballet School who also create work for Awakenings: Denise Whiteman; Ana Garcia; Sander Blommaert; Gloria Grigolato; James Grundy; Michael Ho; Silvia Jimenez; Hannah Lockyer; Nicky Linzie; Jenny MacNamara; Sarah Moore; Lee Robinson; Judith Rowann; and Andrea Tredinnick. 

Friday 5th July at 7pm: UPPER SCHOOL Performance 

Saturday 6th July at 2pm & 7pm: WHOLE SCHOOL Performance 

Sunday 7th July at 2pm: LOWER SCHOOL and ELMHURST YOUNG DANCERS Performance  

Sunday 7^th July at 7pm: WHOLE SCHOOL Performance  

Thursday 11th July at 7pm: WHOLE SCHOOL Performance 

Tickets: https://elmhurstballetschool.eventbrite.co.uk/ 

Please note, 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)