Northern Ballet, Children's Ballet in Cinemas

Leeds-based Northern Ballet specialises in narrative works, having successfully brought to the stage novels such as Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and George Orwell’s 1984, to mention but a few. The company’s much anticipated look at Queen Victoria’s life and times, Victoria, choreographed by Cathy Marston, will open later this year.

That expertise is precious when it comes to telling much-loved children’s stories in dance, and Northern Ballet have build up an enviable repertoire of especially crafted children’s ballets: lively, colourful, clearly told, boasting live music, and, importantly, short at about 40 minutes each

These works have toured widely to theatres throughout the UK for the past five years; and now Northern Ballet in collaboration with CineEvents is making a giant stride towards bringing them to much wider audiences with screenings at cinemas nationwide.

All six children’s ballets included in Northern Ballet’s repertoire are based on well-known and much-loved fables and fairy tales.

The first productions to come to cinemas are Elves and the Shoemaker (pictured up top) and Tortoise and the Hare, which kicks off the season on 26 January.

Archie Sullivan and Luke Francis in Northern Ballet's Tortoise and the Hare, photo Brian Slater
To make sure their pint-sized cinema audiences fully enjoy their outing, the filmed version of each work has been enhanced with animations, and will offer an interactive experience. At the start of each screening, the story is narrated by the BBC’s Anita Rani, and dance teachers will show the children how some of the steps are achieved.

The ballets are performed by Northern Ballet’s dancers, who not only excel technically, but are also adept at telling stories through their dancing.

Filmed in high definition, with eight cinema cameras placed a different angles and some quite close to the dancers, the aim is to re-create the live theatre experience as closely as possible, so that children, some of whom will be having their first experience of ballet, can enjoy its magic.

To find your closest participating scene and to book click here