Ballet Central Announces 2022 Tour Featuring Original Works By Leading Choreographers

The renowned dance company Ballet Central will return to touring this spring with a four-month programme visiting 11 mid-sized theatres across England. The company presents a new cast of exceptional dancers performing a mixture of original pieces from distinguished choreographers and a restaging of an existing contemporary work. The annual tour commences with a performance at the Queens Theatre Hornchurch on 22 April, visiting Guildford, Birmingham, Bridport, Crawley, Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadlers Wells, Newbury Spring Festival amongst others concluding in London with two performances at the Britten Theatre in July, (full tour list at the end of the release). Ticket prices are deliberately low across all venues to make the tour widely accessible.

Under the artistic direction of Artist-in-Residence Mikaela Polley and Artistic Director Kate Coyne, Ballet Central will present three new pieces this year created on Central's dancers. Mikaela Polley's new piece involves the entire company, created as a celebration of the dynamism of the ensemble bringing classical ballet and contemporary dance together. New choreography from the dance industry influencer Ashley Page is to music by the composer John Adams. Ballet Black's Mthuthuzeli November, also a former dancer on the Ballet Central tour, has created a new piece that demonstrates his distinctive choreographic voice. Cathy Marston's piece Moving, Still is being restaged especially for this year's Ballet Central tour.

Mikaela Polley, Artist-in-Residence said: "The experience of working with renowned choreographers in the creative process is invaluable for student dancers. They learn to absorb, understand, and interpret the story of each piece and the choreographers' different ways of working. This accelerates their growth as future professionals and helps to prepare for the transition into company life when they graduate in July."

Kate Coyne, Central's Artistic Director said: "Joining Ballet Central and the experience of performing on tour distinguishes our dancers and supports their future employability in the dance industry. Performing is the ultimate goal for professional dance students so the chance to bring all their training to a peak in front of a live audience fulfils ambitions and stimulates new learning. Audiences benefit from seeing new talent and vibrant choreography in theatres across England - it's a joy for our dancers and audiences alike."

The annual Ballet Central tour offers audiences across the country the chance to see the company's young and dynamic dancers showcase choreography from current industry professionals alongside newly commissioned work and refreshed classics from the world's top choreographers. Performing a range of repertoire on tour over several months to ticket-buying audiences is an enriching experience for the students, enhancing their skills and development, making them particularly employable.

Ballet Central is the touring company of Central School of Ballet in London, the world-leading centre for professional dance training and education. Students in the final year of their three-year BA (Hons) degree course in Professional Dance and Performance join Ballet Central to gain vital touring experience before graduation. Ballet Central's dancers not only perform but also help with some of the technical aspects of touring including lighting, sound, staging and wardrobe.

Central's graduates go on to join the world's premier dance companies. Recent graduates are currently employed with Scottish Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Rambert, Ballet Black, Phantom of the Opera (West End & Worldwide), Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, Milwaukee Ballet - USA, Singapore Dance Theatre, Sarasota Ballet - USA, K-Ballet - Japan and New English Ballet Theatre.

Ballet Central 2022 Tour Dates

22 April Queens Theatre, Hornchurch

25 April The Hawth, Crawley

27 April E M Forster Theatre, Tonbridge

16 May Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells

19 May Corn Exchange, Newbury Spring Festival

9 June The Crescent, Birmingham

11 June Bridport Arts Centre

18 June Chipping Norton Theatre

24 June Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

8 July ADC Theatre, Cambridge

13,14 July Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music

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